Of Snow and Ebony
by FumbleOfReality
Summary: First real fic. :cringe: Logan meets a chick in Canada and brings her home to the mansion. Complete. Please review.
1. Default Chapter Title

This is the first real fic (my other one doesn't count. I don't know what possessed me to send that garbage in). I doubt I did a good job with characterization, since I've only liked X-Men since seeing the movie about three weeks ago. Thus, I only have characters from the movie in this fic. I've learned of other ones since I started reading X-Men fan fic, but I don't think I "know" them good enough to write about them. Please give me feedback, no matter what. I'll appreciate all of it. :)  
  
Of Snow and Ebony  
By CKWan (nicki91@excite.com)  
  
  
"Get out of here, freak!" he yelled as he shoved her out into the snow. He threw her bag after her. "And don't even think about coming back!" With a last angry glance, he slammed the door to the only bar in the small, one horse town, leaving her in the cold.  
  
She sat in the snow, staring at the door, on the verge of either breaking into tears of frustration and sadness or tearing the door off the hinges in rage. Deciding neither would do her any good, she stood up, brushed the snow off of her black cloak and flare legged jeans. She picked up her backpack, with her few possessions, and positioned it comfortably on her back after wiping the snow off it. With a shudder, she pulled the cloak tighter around her thin body, and pulled the hood over her head, brushing her long hair from her eyes. Glancing up and down the dimly lit street, she turned right, head down, but thin shoulders held up with what was left of her battered dignity.  
  
Slowly, she made her way down the road, glancing around for a place to stay for the night. She remembered when she didn't have to worry about finding a place to sleep at night, knowing she was warm with a roof over her head. She cringed and forced herself to think about the present, not the past.   
  
Her gaze fell upon an old building that looked empty. The windows were broken and it looked to have survived at least one fire. It'll do, she thought tiredly.  
  
She opened the door, what was left of it, slowly. She poked her head in and glanced around. There were a few remains of desks and chairs, all burnt. Battered stairs that looked to be untrustworthy led to what had been an executive's office. She slowly closed the door behind her. She found what looked to be the most comfortable spot, in front of what had been a desk, dropped her backpack and, using it as her pillow, curled up into a ball and fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"What're ya doin' here?" a gruff voice asked.  
  
"Huh?" she said tiredly. She raised her head to see a man with a bad hair style and messy beard, if one could call it a beard, with a frown on his face standing over her, looking at her with a mixture of anger and bafflement on his face. She was on her feet in an instant. "Ah'm sorry mistah," she started, staring at the ground. "Ah 's just looking fer a place ta stay the nahght. Ah di'en't mean no harm. Honest." She paused. "Please don' hurt me," she added fearfully, her voice trembling slightly.  
  
He studied her for a minute. She was from the south. Her accent wasn't unlike Rogue's, just had more of a drawl to it, he thought, comparing this girl to one of his new found friends. It hinted some place like Louisiana. She waited silently for him to call her a freak and tell her to be on her way.  
  
"I won't hurt 'cha," he said at last. "I was just wonderin' what ya were doin' here. I don't own this place, so I can't kick ya out."  
  
She looked up at him, and saw him jump instinctively. Ashamed, she immediately looked back to the ground. She berated herself. She should have known she was going to scare him, she scared everyone she met.  
  
"Don't worry, Ah'll get outta yer way," she said quietly. "Ah have ta get outta this town anyways."  
  
"Where ya plannin' on goin'?" he asked.   
  
She looked up in surprise, her caution thrown to the wind. She wasn't used to anyone caring about her as of late. When she remembered his surprise at her gaze, she looked back down.  
  
"Nowhere," she said. "Anywhere. It don't matter. All towns and cities're the same."  
  
"That so?" he asked, crossing his muscular arms across his just as muscular chest. His frown deepened a notch.  
  
"Yeah," she said in a quiet voice.   
  
"What's yer name, kid?" he asked.  
  
Now she was very startled. She looked him in the eye, and tried to ignore his jump.  
  
"Ebony," she said. "Mah name is Ebony."  
  
"Ebony, huh?" he said. Where do these kids get these names?, he thought. First Rogue, now Ebony. What's next? Wings? "My name is Logan. What kinda name is Ebony?"  
  
"Sumon called me that in one of the towns Ah 'as in, and it kinda stuck with me," she said with a shrug.  
  
He studied her closer. Her waist length hair and eyebrows were jet black, her nails black - not by nail polish either, he guessed - and her eyes were black, pure black. She had no iris, no pupil, just black over her whole eye. Her skin was pale though, nearly white. It did fit her, he guessed.  
  
"Yer a mutant," he stated, not asked. By the way she flinched, he took that as a yes. "What's yer gift?"  
  
"Which one?" she asked. "Ah have so many."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
She flexed her hand and with a shinkt-like sound, three claws came out. He jumped. His jaw dropped. He stared. He paled.   
  
"What?" she asked, scared. Her skin paled even more. She looked to be a ghost.  
  
He didn't answer, but flexed his hand to reveal his own three claws. She jumped as he had. He tested her claws with a swipe of his. He jumped again at the clank of metal against metal. To his surprise, his didn't cut through hers as he'd expected.   
  
"Adamantium," he whispered. "You were one too?"  
  
"Tested on?" she asked. He nodded. "Ah 'as created there. Ah heard 'em braggin' one day about all mah talents. They said sumthin' about me being able to rival any mutant in the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants."  
  
"I have to see somethin', kid," he said. He grabbed her wrist with his hand that still had his claws sheathed and scratched her with his claws, not too deep, but deep enough to bleed. She gasped and tried to jerk away. He held onto her wrist, and to his shock, the wound healed in a matter of seconds. When he'd recovered his voice, he said he was sorry. "What else can you do?"  
  
She turned away from him and narrowed her eyes. One short laser beam shot from her eyes and destroyed one of the desks that had survived the fire.  
  
"Just like Cyke," he muttered, speaking of the leader of the X-Men. When she turned back to him, he flinched, but realized that, unlike Cyclopes, she could control the beams. "Lemme guess. Ya can control the weather, yer telepathic an' telekinetic, ya can steal people's energy and mutant's powers by touchin' them flesh to flesh, ya can control metal, ya can become anyone or anythin', ya have the strength of an animal, an' you have a thirty foot tongue?"  
  
"How'd cha know?" she whispered, eyes so wide he found it comical.  
  
"I'm an X-Man," he said, trying to stifle a smile. "Sort of."  
  
"Ya mean, Ah have yer powers?" she asked, confused.  
  
"Ya heal yourself 'bout as fast as I can heal myself," he said in answer. "An' ya have my claws." He thought for a minute. He couldn't believe what he was about to do. He was becoming a big softie. Oh well, what else was he to do? Leave her on her own? Hell no. "Why don't cha come with me? Back to New York? Where the X-Men live. I'm sure they'd take ya. The school that is."  
  
She seemed uncertain.   
  
"I gotta bike outside," he said.   
  
"Ah, Ah, dunno," she said, suddenly nervous. "Ah never did have much luck with them institution tahpes."  
  
He nodded in understanding. "I was the same way," he said. "This ain't an institution though. It's more ova school fer mutants. Ya know. Teachin' 'em how to control their powers, and not bein' a threat ta others?" He could tell she was still undecided. "It can't be much worse then this, can it?" he said softly.  
  
She was silent for a moment. She glanced up at him briefly to see if he was sincere. "Aiight. Ah mean if yer sure," she added hastily, hurriedly looking back to the ground.  
  
"Wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it." She went silent again. "Well, let's go. That the only bag you got?" he asked, nodding to her backpack on the floor.  
  
She nodded. He grabbed it, raised a brow at the lightness of it, but decided not to comment.  
  
One day later  
  
Rogue stood in the middle of the rec room. She was bored and didn't know what to do to change that. She didn't want to go find Bobby Drake, who, besides Logan, was her closest friend at the school, and there was nothing on TV. After spending two hours watching infomercials, she decided there was definitely nothing on TV. One could only watch the same watch go on sale so many times in an hour before deciding there was indeed, nothing on TV.  
  
Absent mindedly, she scratched her gloved hand. She still wasn't used to wearing the elbow length gloves all the time. While it was for others' safety, she was always sorely tempted to rip them off when her hands started sweating. Leather itches dammit!, she thought.  
  
The sound of an engine brought her out of her thoughts. Her first thought was one of the other X-Men had returned from a trip to town for something or another. But when she stopped and listened to the engine for a minute, she realized it wasn't a car. It was a motorcycle. That left one person. LOGAN!, she thought excitedly. She ran from the room, nearly knocking Scott Summers over.  
  
"Woah!" Scott exclaimed. "What the? Rogue? What's the big rush?"  
  
"He's back!" was her only reply as she sped down the hall to the rush to the door.   
  
"What? Who's back?" he asked in confusion. Then it dawned on him. "Oh, great. Logan's back."  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Logan had just gotten off his bike, or rather, Scott's bike, when he was nearly knocked over by a big black streak.  
  
"Yer back!"  
  
"Uh, hey darlin'," he said after he recognized the accent. "Rogue, yer cuttin' off my oxygen supply."  
  
Rogue released his neck and stepped back with a big smile. "Ah missed ya, Logan!"  
  
"I noticed," Logan said with a small smile of amusement.  
  
It was then that Rogue noticed the other person lingering behind Logan.   
  
"Who's that?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Rogue, darlin', meet Ebony," Logan said, stepping aside so the two could see each other. "Ebony, this is Rogue."  
  
"Hah," Ebony said quietly.  
  
"Hello," Rogue said as she stepped over to shake the girl's hand. Instead, Ebony stepped back, cowering. "Ah won' hurt ya."   
  
"Thank you for returning my bike in one piece, Logan," Scott said as he walked over.  
  
"No problem," Logan said, his voice ice personified.  
  
"And who's this?" he asked as he glanced at the visitor.  
  
"Let's get inside first," Logan said. He walked back, took Ebony's arm, being sure to touch her cloak, and led her inside.  
  
Rogue and Scott exchanged a curious glance. Rogue shrugged. "He said her name 'as Ebony, but she just said 'hah' to mah. Her accent sounded like mahne."  
  
"Another southerner? Just what we need," Scott said with a small smile on his lips.  
  
Rogue glared at him playfully, and walked back into the mansion.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Hey Logan," Jean Grey said from the couch in the great hall. Noticing the girl behind him, she smiled. "Hello, I'm Jean."  
  
The girl just nodded, not taking Jean's extended hand. Jean threw Logan a questioning glance, but Logan just shrugged.  
  
"Nice to see you, darlin,'" Logan said. "This is Ebony. I met her in Canada."  
  
"I see," Jean said, smiling again at the girl, Ebony. "Welcome to Xavior's School for the Gifted."  
  
The girl nodded, but refused to look up at Jean.  
  
After an uncomfortable silence, Logan asked Jean if there was a guestroom Ebony could use.  
  
"Right this way, Ebony," she said, reaching out to take the girl's arm. Ebony yelped in surprise and jumped back, right into Scott. Her bare arm brushed against Scott's hand, and though the contact only lasted a few seconds, it was enough to make Scott fall back onto the floor with a groan. Jean cried out in fear, rushing to her fiancé's side. Rogue jumped back so that neither of them would accidentally touch her.   
  
Ebony stood completely still with fear. "Ah, Ah'm sorry," she whispered and turned to go out the entrance, rushing by Scott, Jean, and Rogue, careful not to touch them. Logan watched her back as she ran for a second, then ran after her.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
She had no idea where she was going. She knew that going down the hall would only lead to her being trapped, so she headed out the front door. She saw a bald man in a wheelchair heading up the pathway, so she bolted to the right, towards the woods.   
  
"Stop!" the man yelled. She ignored him and ran as fast as she could. She could sense Logan coming after her. She sped up a notch, amazed that she had enough energy to maintain this speed. It must be 'causa that guy, she thought hurriedly.  
  
Once she reached the woods, she slowed, unfamiliar with the terrain. She gave a frightened scream when someone came crashing into her from behind. She released her claws before she fell and reached back attempting to claw the person taking her down.   
  
She landed hard on her chest, her breath knocked out of her with an "umph." She could tell her claws had stabbed someone. She guessed it was Logan because she didn't hear any cries of pain.  
  
"Retract yer damned claws!" Logan demanded with the slightest hint of pain in his voice. She did as she was told, and was relieved to have him climb from atop of her. She rolled to her side, legs bent at a right angle, and propped herself up with her arms to see someone she didn't know standing behind him. She hid her face so that her eyes wouldn't frighten them. "It's okay, darlin'. Stand up."  
  
Cautiously, she stood, careful to keep her face down. She turned towards Logan.   
  
"Ah'm sorry," she whispered again. "Ah di'en't mean to. It 'as an accident."  
  
"I know," Logan said softly. "Scott's gonna be okay."  
  
"Scott?" she said questioningly.   
  
"Yeah, that's 'is name," Logan said. "He's also called Cyclops."  
  
"Oh," she said. She didn't look at either of them.  
  
"I'm Ororo Monroe," the woman said, as she walked up. "Also known as Storm."  
  
"Ebony," the girl said as she cowered away from Ororo.   
  
"Why don't we get back to the mansion?" Logan suggested in an attempt to break the silence.   
  
"I'll meet you two there," Ororo said, heading towards the mansion after shooting Logan a dubious glance. Again Logan just shrugged.  
  
After Ororo had left, Ebony spoke. "Maybe Ah should jest leave. That ain't the best first impression ta make."  
  
"And where would cha go?" Logan asked.  
  
"We been through this," she said with a slight smile, though she still didn't look at him.   
  
"And I'm still right, ain't I?" he asked.  
  
"I dunno," she said.  
  
"Yeah, ya do, darlin'," Logan said softly. She finally looked up at him, and he managed to not jump at her gaze. She noticed and her smile grew a little.  
  
"It's cold ou' here," she said. "Let's go back where it's warm, aiight?"  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Logan," the professor called. With a cringe, Logan went into the professor's office where he was waiting. Logan had just come from making sure Ebony was settled into her room. "Do you happen to know who the girl that came running out of the house was?"  
  
"Yeah, it 'as my friend I found in Canada," he replied. "Interesting story. I'm sure you'll think so too."  
  
"How's that, Logan?"  
  
"Well, fer starters, she was experimented on like I was. She doesn't remember much of anythin', like I don't remember anythin' from my past," he said. "And she's got all our powers."  
  
"Our powers?" Ororo asked as she walked into the office, having caught the end of Logan's statement.  
  
"Yeah," Logan said. "She's got my claws, healing power, the professor's telepathy, Jean's telekinesis, and yer weather control."  
  
"What about Scott's power?" the professor asked.  
  
"That too, but she's got control. She showed me. All she does is narrow her eyes." He paused. "Speaking of our fearless leader, how's he doin'?"  
  
"He'll be okay with a days rest. Jean's with him now," the professor said. "Tomorrow, I want her to under go some tests to find out all of her powers and see if we can find something about her past."  
  
  
To be continued if I can get past writer's block and you peoples want more. :) 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Of Snow and Ebony  
By-CKWan  
  
Part two of this series.   
  
Only Ebony belongs to me. Everyone and everything else "famous" belongs to someone other than me.  
  
As always, feedback of any kind is welcomed. :)  
  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Ebony woke up confused. She was in a bed. She couldn't remember the last time she had woken up in a bed. The sun was shining through a window on the other side of the room. Her bag had been placed on a chair by the window. She sat up and remembered where she was. She walked over to her bag, and upon noticing the bathroom, ran in, excited.   
  
She took a long, hot shower. She just stood there, letting the hot water run over her frail body. She wasn't very tall, only five-foot-four. As a petite, she was only 105 pounds, but she was sure to put on some weight once she starting eating regularly and putting muscle into her current combination of skin and bones.   
  
When she stepped out of the shower, the steam was so thick, she could almost write her name in the air. She giggled at the thought and opened the door to let the steam out. She quickly dressed in a pair of ripped old jeans and an old black Queen T-shirt. She grabbed her sunglasses so she wouldn't have to worry about scaring people with her eyes and set out on investigating the mansion.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Bobby just happened to be walking by the rec room when he saw someone he didn't recognize. He'd been here for a while and knew everyone. She was looking at their extensive movie collection ranging from "Dumb and Dumber" to "Schindler's List" to "Aladdin". Her long black hair created a thick wall, which almost touched the ground because she was bent over, so he couldn't see her face.  
  
"Hi," he said as he walked in. She jumped and turned quickly, hands clenched.  
  
"Hah," she said quietly. She took in his short blondish hair and stunning blue eyes. He was of medium build and certainly taller than her. Don' take much fer that, she thought with a smile to herself.  
  
"I'm Bobby," he said, extending his hand. She shrank back from him, hiding her hands behind her back, not in fear, but to protect him. He noted to himself the odd fact that she was wearing sunglasses in the house.  
  
"I'm Ebony," she said.  
  
"When did you get here? I would have remembered seeing you," he said with a small smile.  
  
"Last nahght."  
  
"Where are you from?" he asked, noticing her thick southern accent.  
  
She lowered her head. "Somewhare in th' south," she said.  
  
"You don't know?" he asked.  
  
Her head raised sharply. Even though her eyes were hidden, he could have sworn they were narrowed at him. "I don', okay? Is it that big ova deal?" she asked defensively.  
  
"No," he said quickly. "I was just curious, that's all."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Hey, Bobby, have ya seen…?" Logan said as he walked around the corner into the rec room, stopping when he saw her himself.  
  
"Hey Logan," she said quietly. She noticed his brow had been creased in what she could have sworn was concern. He had quickly washed the look off of his face though, she noted. She wasn't sure what to think of that.  
  
"Hey," he said. "The professor wants you to take a few tests."  
  
"Aiight," she said. "Nahce meetin' ya, Bobby."  
  
"Yeah, you too, Ebony," as he watched her walk off with Logan. Definitely need to get to know her better, he thought with a small smile before going to watch "Lost & Found"…again.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Hello, Ebony," the professor said. "I hope I didn't startle you yesterday."  
  
"Nah," she said. "Ah thought 'as me that scart you."  
  
He smiled at her accent. "I'm Professor Charles Xavior. I run the school."  
  
"Seems ta be a nahce place," she said, surveying his office. The chair she sat in was very comfortable and in front of the professor's huge desk. The professor was seated in his wheelchair behind the desk. Logan was seated in the chair next to her. Jean, Scott, and Ororo were also in the room. Scott stood by the professor, watching her warily from behind his ruby quartz glasses. Jean stood next to Ororo to the right of Logan.  
  
"I'm glad you think so," Charles said with a small smile to help make her more comfortable. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a series of questions, then have Jean perform some tests on you to evaluate the amount of control you have over your powers and the strength of them as well. Okay?"  
  
"Aiight," she said with a shrug. "Ah don' care."  
  
"Could I get you to take off your sunglasses?" he asked softly.  
  
She seemed startled. "Ya sure?" she asked nervously. "Ah don' wanna scare ya."  
  
"It's all right," he said.  
  
Slowly she reached up and removed her sunglasses. For a moment, she stared at her hands in her lap. Slowly, she raised her head to look at Charles. If he was stunned, he didn't show it. Scott however, jumped. She turned to look at Jean and Ororo. Both shrank back a little. She quickly looked back at her hands.   
  
"Don't be ashamed," Charles said softly. "You have beautiful and unique eyes."  
  
She glanced up at him, clearly startled. Her eyes had been described as many things, but "beautiful" and "unique" weren't among them.  
  
"Logan says that you have multiple powers. Is that true?"  
  
"Ya," she replied in a quiet voice. "Ah'm telepathic an' telekinetic. Ah c'n control the weather an' Ah c'n absorb energy an' powers from people an' mutants. Ah c'n shoot laser beams from mah ahyes. Ah c'n heal mayself real fast. Ah've got claws lahke Logan. Ah've got strong senses, lahke seein', hearin', an' smellin'. Ah'm very strong. Ah've gotta long tongue an' c'n control metal. An', Ah c'n become anyone or anythin'."  
  
For a moment, all was quiet. If one listened hard enough, or in Logan and Ebony's case just plain listened, the children in classrooms with the doors closed could be heard from across the mansion.   
  
Scott was the first to talk. "You've got control of your optic blasts?" he whispered. He couldn't believe that it was possible to control his power. He had been condemned to his glasses and visor since a childhood brain injury.  
  
"Yeah," she said, surprised that he was even talking to her after last night. "Wanna see?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Anyhin' ya won' miss if Ah blow it up?" she asked the professor.  
  
He pointed to a lamp on his desk. She narrowed her eyes at it, and everyone except Logan jumped when an optic blast protruded from her eyes and destroyed the lamp. Scott's jaw dropped so far Jean found it almost comical and hid a small smile.  
  
"Ah'm not sure if Ah c'n control the power of the blast, though," she said.  
  
"We'll look into that later," the professor said. "How long have you had your powers?"  
  
"As long 's Ah c'n remember," she said. "Ah 'as experimented on lahke Logan. My first memory is," she paused to think for a moment, "waking up on some kinda hard bed, lahke a hospital bed, ya know? Ah could hear voices from th' distance. Ah could only make out some 'a the words, though. Sumthin' 'bout me bein' able ta challenge all the X-Men and th' mutants in the Brotherhood of Mutants. Then it's black."  
  
Everyone sat in silence, digesting the new information.   
  
"Do you remember any other name then Ebony?" Jean asked softly.  
  
"The only otha name that comes to mahnd is 'Renee,'" she said with a thoughtful look on her face.  
  
"I think that's all for now, Ebony. Thank you," the professor said. "Jean, please escort her to the lab to perform the tests. Scott, Logan, stay here please. There are some things that need to be discussed."  
  
Ebony looked at Logan nervously. He was the only one she somewhat trusted. She'd just met Jean last night and wasn't too comfortable being alone with her yet. Logan sensed her nervousness, and quickly assured her that things would be okay with Jean.  
  
She still seemed uncertain. Logan understood her fear. He had once been afraid of those he didn't know and those he'd just met. He also knew Jean, and she would never harm the girl. After all, she'd taken care of him. That certainly showed she had some guts. Bein' engaged to Wonder Boy counts fer somthin' too, he thought.  
  
"It's okay, kid," he said. "Jeannie won't hurt ya. She took care of when I first came here. That says something, don't it?"  
  
Jean gave Logan a small smile. Scott saw the smile and frowned. Charles sighed at Scott's frown. Ororo rolled her eyes at Scott's jealousy. Logan ignored all of them except Jean and Ebony.   
  
After taking into consideration what Logan had said, Ebony stood and allowed allowed Jean to show her the way to the lab.  
  
"I'm gonna go tend to my plants," Ororo said as she walked out of the office, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Logan," Charles said, "where did you meet her?"  
  
"In a town by the old military base. I found 'er curled up in a ball in an old building sleepin'."  
  
"Do you know how old she is?"  
  
"Nope," Logan said. "She didn' say, but she looks like a teenager. Bein' she was experimented on like I was, she could be 50 and look young. Who knows?"  
  
"Maybe we should enroll her in some classes here," Scott suggested. "Let her meet some of the students here. And depending on how much control she has over all of her powers, she should stay here to learn whatever control she needs."  
  
"Put a lota thought into that one, One Eye?" Logan asked. If Logan hadn't known any better, he could have sworn Summers was narrowing his eyes at him. It was difficult to tell because one couldn't see through his ruby quartz glasses.   
  
"That may be the best course of action," the professor said, ignoring Logan's remark as he did most of the barbs exchanged between the two. "Let's wait for Jean's test results before we make any decisions."  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Professor, the girl's right," Jean said hours later in Charles' office. "She's got all of our powers along with the Brotherhood of Mutants' powers. She's got control over most of them, except her absorption power and the strength of her optic blasts."  
  
"Is she dangerous to herself and others?" Scott asked.  
  
"Only when she's mad," Jean replied. "She's very careful to not narrow her eyes, but I think it would be safer to have her wear ruby quartz glasses like Scott's. Also, she should wear gloves like Rogue's."  
  
"Does she have good vision?" Charles asked.  
  
"Very good. 10/20. She's got excellent depth perception and peripheral vision. She can focus on objects straight in front of her more if she wants to, like focusing a lens of a camera. Her eye seems to be on big pupil."  
  
"What about light sensitivity?" Charles questioned.  
  
"She can adjust to almost any amount of light, or lack there of, with a blink of her eyes. She's got excellent night vision, also."  
  
"Sounds like a fully equipped fighting machine," Scott murmured.  
  
"Except she's got a conscience," Jean said. "She seems to be a very sweet girl, just very untrusting. I don't blame her, with all she's been through, that she remembers anyway."  
  
"Any luck finding anything on her past?" Charles asked.  
  
"Nothing so far," Jean said. "But we're still looking. She only remembers a few years, so it's possible there's still a record of her somewhere."  
  
"Unlikely though," the professor said. "I want to know how they got the resources to create a mutant like her. Obviously, they had enough of our genes to create her."  
  
"That would take forever to create a gene pattern like hers," Jean said. "Unless they had an expert in genetics working for them. Even then, it would take a while to create something so precise."  
  
"Could they have given her injections or some kind of pill that gave her our powers?" Scott asked.  
  
"I don't know," Jean said. "It's a possibility. This is pioneer work in the field of genetics. I can't think of how many times it must have taken them to perfect the genetic code to create her."  
  
"I think it's best she stay here for now," Charles said. "She's safe here from anyone who might be looking for her. Someone put years of research and a lot of money into her. They aren't just gonna let her be."  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Severe writer's block is hitting me and it hurts (corny I know :) ). I've kind of hinted of Beast/Henry McCoy being involved in this part, but I don't know where I'm going with this. Any help would be greatly appreciated. ")  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Part three of this series. I've got an idea of where I'm going with this, though I don't have the ending planned out exact. I'll get there though. Hopefully. :)  
  
I would like to thank everyone who's reviewed this series. I really really really appreciate it. Any other comments anyone has are very welcome. :)  
  
::(words inserted here):: = telepathic conversation  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"There you are," someone said from behind her. "We've been looking for you."  
  
"Ya have?" she asked, glancing around nervously. She was in a dark hallway of some sort, dim lights barely illuminating the hallways. She smelled the tobacco on the man's breath. She also sensed his happiness at finding her. Where am I?!, she thought wildly.  
  
"Of course we have," the person said. "Did you think we'd let you go without a search? After all the work we've put into you?"  
  
"Ah, Ah," she stammered. Fear began to grip her. Beads of sweat broke through the skin above her upper lip. She swallowed hard. Her throat was suddenly dry.   
  
The person reached out for her with one hand. She looked for the other one, but realized that the other one was behind their back, holding something: a needle.   
  
She hated needles; they terrified her beyond words. She tried to scream, but was horrified to find she had no voice. She turned to run, but the person grabbed her hair and yanked her to the ground. She managed to cry out in pain; she was a tender head.  
  
Being that her hair was waist-length, she turned and narrowed her eyes at the person, expecting to blow them away. Much to her surprise, nothing happened. She saw the needle arch up and an evil smile on the lips of her captor.  
  
"No, no," she cried hoarsely. "Please!" The last thing she was aware of was the prick of a needle and a deep, wicked laugh filling her ears.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Ebony, darlin' wake up!"  
  
She sat straight up in her bed, heart pounding, dripping in sweat, a scream ripe on her lips. She looked around wildly, and unsheathed her claws in fear. Through her panic, she made out several people standing around her.  
  
"It's okay," someone said soothingly. "We won't hurt you. We don't have any needles."  
  
The mention of needles made her shudder, sheath, and unsheathe her claws in apprehension.  
  
"Good goin' there Summers," someone, Logan she guessed, growled.  
  
::It's okay,:: someone said in her head. She glanced around again. ::We're only trying to help::  
  
She took a deep breath to calm her racing pulse. Glancing around once more, she saw Jean and Scott, both in their pajamas standing to the left of her bed. She chuckled quietly to herself at the sight of Scott's kitten-covered pajama pants. Logan and Ororo were to the right. The professor was at the end of her bed, watching her intently. Sensing more people, she saw a crowd of students standing at her door, all with worried and curious looks etched on their faces.  
  
As an after thought, she sheathed her claws.  
  
She began to get nervous under all their gazes. Logan seemed to understand, and told everyone to leave. In the professor's case, he asked, though not terribly politely.  
  
After everyone except Logan had left, she took another deep breath, and wiped the sweat off of her face and neck. She took a glimpse at Logan, and gave a small smile.   
  
"Did Ah wake every'ne up?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Yeah," he said quietly. "Ya woke me up first since I'm only a door down from ya and I've got that better hearin' thing goin' on. The professor was in here next sayin' ya were 'broadcasting yer distress' as he put it. We weren' able to wake ya and ya kept screamin', then Jean and Scott came, with 'Ro right behind them."  
  
"Ah'm sorry," she said quietly, playing with the blanket nervously.  
  
"Don' worry 'bout it," he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "I caused a lota trouble here at first too."  
  
"What'd ya do?" she asked, looking up at him.  
  
"Nearly killed Rogue," he said.  
  
"Rogue?" she questioned. "How?"  
  
"Rammed my claws through 'er right shoulder," he said.  
  
"Why'd ya do that?" she asked, eyes widening. The only way he could tell her eyes had widened was by the way her eyelashes were nearly touching her eyebrows and he couldn't see much of her eyelids. He noted to himself that he needed to keep note of her eyelids to tell where she was looking.   
  
"I was dreamin' 'bout the surgery they performed on me, and woke her up," he explained. "She came in ta wake me, an' I woke up an' 'fore I realized who it was and where I was, my claws were all th' way through 'er right shoulder."  
  
"You didn' kill 'er?"  
  
"She touched my cheek, an' stole my healin' ability."  
  
"Oh," was all she could think to say.  
  
"So, don' worry 'bout tonight," he said. "Ya popped yer claws, but didn' do anythin'." He paused for a minute. "An' I saw yer smile at Scott's pajamas."  
  
Ebony laughed. She had a loud, light-hearted laugh that made Logan smile.   
  
"Ah don' really know 'im, but Ah had ta laugh at it," she said between laughs. "He don' seem lahke the tahype to wear things lahke that."  
  
"Ya can learn a lot 'bout a person when they're woken up in th' middle of the night," Logan said between his own deep chuckles.  
  
They calmed down for a minute then looked at one another and started laughing again. Ebony pulled her pillow over her mouth to muffle her loud laughter.  
  
::What's so funny?:: someone asked in Ebony's head.  
  
She stopped her laughing and dropped the pillow from her face. Logan noticed her change in mood and stopped chuckling. She glanced around, spooked.  
  
"Who said that?" she whispered, frightened.  
  
"Said what, kid?" Logan asked. "I didn' say anythin'."  
  
"Shh!" she hissed.  
  
::What's wrong, Ebony?:: the voice asked.  
  
::LEAVE ME ALONE!:: she screamed in her head.  
  
::Ebony? Are you alright?::  
  
::GO AWAY!! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!::  
  
::Ebony…::  
  
Her scream echoed in the small room. Logan jumped to his feet, startled despite himself.  
  
"STOP IT!" she screamed, clutching her head with her hands. She screamed again.  
  
"Ebony!" Logan exclaimed.  
  
"Make it stop!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please, make it stop," she whispered.  
  
Logan stood there, confused for a moment as to what he should do. Cautiously, he made his way over to her. Careful not to touch her skin, he drew her to his chest tenderly. She stiffened at first, expecting pain instead of comfort.  
  
Jean came rushing in. Ebony jumped, giving a short cry.  
  
"What's the matter?" Jean asked worriedly.  
  
"I dunno," Logan said quietly.  
  
"Summon 'as in my head," Ebony whispered.  
  
"That was me," Jean said. "I was 'talking' with you telepathically."  
  
"Oh," Ebony said. "Ah thought it 'as one 'a them."  
  
"One of who?" Jean asked, slowly walking over to the bed.  
  
"One 'a th' guys that experimented on me," she whispered. "They used ta talk in mah head. Whenevah summon 'talks' in mah head, Ah think it's them." She sat quiet for a minute. "Sorry if Ah scart ya."  
  
"That's okay," Jean said. Logan nodded his agreement. "We should both be back to bed," Jean hinted.  
  
Logan nodded again. "Go ta sleep, kid. If ya start screamin' again, I'll come wake ya. Deal?"  
  
"Aiight," Ebony said as she slid down under the covers. Jean smiled as she closed the door behind her and Logan.  
  
"She remembers something from when she was captive," Jean said. "I wonder how long she's been 'free'."  
  
"I dunno," Logan said.  
  
"I'll talk to the professor and see if he can get into her head and look around."  
  
"I don' think that's a good idea, Jeannie," Logan said. "Ya saw how she flipped out tonight when you 'talked' to her. The professor fishin' around in her head ain't gonna go over any smoother."  
  
"Maybe you're right," Jean said thoughtfully. "It's worth a shot though."  
  
"Maybe," Logan said. "We should wait awhile, though. Let 'er get to know everyone."  
  
Jean nodded. "I'm off to bed," she said with a yawn. She started back towards her room with Scott. "Oh, and I know what you two were laughing at," she said over her shoulder. He could tell she had a small smile on her pretty face.  
  
Logan chuckled and went to his room, not even daring to hope at getting some sleep. It was already three in the morning. He usually got up in three hours. He fleetingly thought about taking Scott's bike and heading towards a bar, but thought of his promise to Ebony; to be there if she woke up screaming. He really was turning into a big softie and making too many promises for his liking. Oh well, he thought. They were promises that needed to be made.  
  
To be continued....:) 


	4. Default Chapter Title

Part four of this series. All disclaimers and such are in the first one.   
  
I seriously doubt I got the characterization in this part right. The movie didn't have much of Bobby, Jubilee, and Kitty, so I'm just winging it here. Any tips are helpful. :)  
  
Again, thanks to everyone for their thoughts, advice, and help. :) As always, feedback is much appreciated. :)  
  
CKWan  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Did you hear her screams?" Bobby asked Jubilation Lee, AKA Jubilee, who was sitting next to him at the breakfast table the next morning.  
  
"How could you not? You'd have to be deaf," she responded.  
  
"I heard she's more powerful then any of the X-Men," Kitty Pryde put in.  
  
"That can't be true," Jubilee said. "How's that possible?"  
  
"Science," Rogue said as she sat down next to Kitty, across from Bobby and Jubilee. "She 'as experimented on lahke Logan."  
  
"No way," Jubilee said. "That's illegal."  
  
"So are drugs," Kitty said.  
  
"There she is," Bobby said as he watched her nervously look around. She had her sunglasses on again, he noticed. They were a different pair today, though. Like Mr. Summers, with ruby red quartz for lens. "Who wears sunglasses inside?"  
  
"Her," Jubilee said as she began to eat her breakfast. "And Mr. Summers."  
  
"You've met her, Rogue," Kitty said. "What's she like?"  
  
"Ah dunno," Rogue replied. "Ah only met 'er fer a few seconds. We should invite her to sit with us."  
  
"Why?" Jubilee said through a mouthful of food.  
  
"Why not?" Kitty said. "She's got to be lonely."  
  
Before anyone could say anything else, Bobby stood up and walked over to the girl in question.  
  
"Hey," he said, standing next to her as she tried to decide what to have for breakfast.  
  
"Hah," she said nervously. She knew they must think her the freak of freaks after last night. She tried not to yawn at the thought of how little sleep she'd gotten. Even after Logan and Jean had left her room, she hadn't been able to get back to sleep due to nightmares. Each one involved a needle and a shot of some kind of liquid. She shuddered at the thought.  
  
"Cold?" Bobby asked.  
  
"Nah," she said. "Just a bad thought."  
  
"Oh. Of what?"  
  
She looked at him for the first time since he'd come over to talk to her. She tried to decide how much she should tell him.   
  
"Mah nightmares," she finally replied.  
  
"Ouch," Bobby said, trying to be sympathetic. "What are they about?"  
  
"Mah lahfe 'fore Ah came here," she said. She decided to try to be vague, though she had a good suspicion that it would only lead to more questions; she was right.  
  
"What was that like?" he asked, walking along with her as she moved down the line of choices for breakfast. He noticed she had gloves like Rogue's on when she reached for a carton of vanilla yogurt. He decided not to say anything about it…yet.  
  
"Not very pleasant," she said as she reached for an apple.  
  
"How's that?"  
  
She turned to look at him again. "What's this? Twenty questions?"  
  
"You bet," Bobby said with a smile. She rolled her eyes, knowing he couldn't tell. He wouldn't be able to even if she took her sunglasses off, unless he watched her eyelids.  
  
"They tortured me," she stated flatly. "What Ah c'n remember anyways."  
  
"Oh," he said, suddenly ashamed for being so curious.  
  
"Yeah, oh," she said, a small smile on her lips. He saw that, and felt a little better.  
  
"Hey, you want to sit with us?" he asked.  
  
"Who's 'us'?"  
  
"Well, Rogue, Kitty, Jubilee, and me," he said as he pointed to the girls sitting across the room. They were all looking at them. She followed his point, and remembered Rogue. The other girls, she didn't know.  
  
"Ah dunno," she said tentatively.   
  
"Oh, c'mon," he said. "Where else ya gonna eat?"  
  
He's got a point, she thought to herself.  
  
"Aiight," she said, following him over to the table.  
  
"Kitty, Jubes, Rogue, this is Ebony," Bobby said. "Ebony, this is Kitty, Jubilee, and Rogue."  
  
"We've already met," Rogue said with a smile.  
  
"Hey," the others said.  
  
Ebony gave a small, shy smile. Bobby motioned for Jubilee to scoot over. Jubilee rolled her eyes, but moved over.   
  
"So, how old are you?" Kitty asked.  
  
By now, Ebony decided that all mutants were curious and asked a million questions before they could decide if they liked someone or not. Except Logan of course. He'd asked questions, but not like any of the other mutants she'd met here.  
  
"Ah dunno," Ebony said as she opened her thing of yogurt. She was aware of the glances the friends shot each other.  
  
"Where 're ya from?" Rogue asked.  
  
"Somewhere in th' south," she replied. "Ah don' remember." Again she was aware of the glances.  
  
"What's your real name?" Jubilee asked.  
  
"Not sure," Ebony said. "All Ah c'n remember is 'Renee'. Not sure 'bout that though."  
  
"I always like that name," Kitty said with a smile.  
  
"It's okay, Ah guess," Ebony said with a shrug.  
  
"Do you mind all these questions?" Bobby asked.  
  
"Do Ah have a choice?" she responded with a small smile.  
  
The others laughed quietly. They thought she meant it as a joke. They didn't realize she was serious about the fact that she didn't have a choice about how many questions everyone asked about here. She was just along for the ride.  
  
"Ya lahke Pink Floyd?" Rogue asked, nodding towards Ebony's shirt.  
  
"Yeah," Ebony said. "Summon always used ta play 'em, an' Ah came ta love 'em. Summon there gave me this shirt. Ah don' remember who though."  
  
The four friends exchanged glances again. Ebony sighed, and took a big bite of her apple and crunched thoughtfully. It was times like this when she could remember bits and pieces of her life before she escaped months ago. She could remember almost every detail since her escape, except the few precious hours of sleep she managed to get here and there. But when she tried to remember her life before her freedom, all she had were random images of different things. Someone giving her a shot, someone playing Pink Floyd and Queen loudly, someone yelling at her for something she did or didn't do, and someone 'talking' in her head. She shuddered at the thought, and focused on the present.  
  
"Why do you wear sunglasses all the time?" Bobby asked.  
  
"So Ah don' scare people," she said, setting down her apple, bracing herself for the onslaught of questions to follow.  
  
"How would you scare people?" Kitty asked.  
  
"With mah ahyes." She knew the next question, so she decided to save them the trouble. "Mah ahyes are strange, and scare most people."  
  
"Can we see?" Jubilee whispered.  
  
Ebony sighed again. She should have known they were going to ask to see her eyes. Everyone always did. She used to oblige them, but stopped when she realized that almost everyone would look at her like a monster or run off screaming. She'd come to almost depend on wearing her sunglasses. Without them, she was constantly afraid of scaring someone. Long ago she had decided to save herself the pain and rejection and pretty much live in her glasses.  
  
"Ya sure? Ah mean, Ah don' wanna scare ya," she said, looking at each of their faces.  
  
"Oh, don't worry 'bout that, sugah," Rogue said. "Nothin's scarier then Logan in a bad mood."  
  
The others laughed. Ebony smiled nervously.  
  
"If yer sure," she said, giving them one last chance. They all nodded their consent their curiosity peaked. She slowly reached up and removed her sunglasses. She screamed in surprise when optic blasts shot from her eyes, destroying the table. She quickly closed her eyes. The others jumped from where they had been sitting, screams filled the air. She put her sunglasses back on, but didn't dare open her eyes; she didn't trust the glasses or her eyes.  
  
It wasn't long before the screams alerted the adults. Scott had been walking down the hall towards the classroom when the screams erupted from the dining room. Startled, he ran into the room. He pushed his way through frightened students that had gathered around the disturbance. He stopped for a moment in shock when he saw what was left of the table. Rogue was clutching her arm, Kitty trying to help her get a piece of wood out of it. Jubilee was staring at the table. Bobby was standing over someone else.  
  
Ebony, Scott thought. This is not good.  
  
Scott walked over to Bobby, and crouched down in front of the frightened girl. He could tell that she had her eyes shut harshly behind her glasses. Bobby was trying to comfort her, but not succeeding. Tears were making their way out of the glasses.   
  
"Ebony," Scott said softly. "It's Scott."  
  
"Ah know," she said through her tears. "Ah sensed ya."  
  
"Please come with me to the lab," he said. "We need to find out what caused this accident."  
  
"Ah know," she whispered.  
  
"Take my hand, I'll help you there," Scott said.  
  
"Ah know what happened," she said. "Rogue needs ta go ta the lab more 'en Ah do."  
  
Scott looked at her. She had her knees clutched to her chest, arms gripping her knees. She was rocking herself back and forth slowly. Her hair swayed lightly with her rocking. She stopped rocking for a second. Scott froze, not know what to expect. She sniffed, testing the as a dog would.  
  
"Logan," she said. "Where are you?"  
  
"Right here, kid," Logan said as he walked over to the three of them. "What happened?"  
  
"She took off her glasses and blew away the table," Bobby said.  
  
Logan looked over at the huddle of girls. "You okay, darlin'?" he asked Rogue.  
  
"Ah'll be fahne," she said.  
  
"They both should go to the lab," Scott said. Logan nodded.   
  
"Ebony, darlin', come with me," Logan said. She made no effort to move. "Bobby, lemme see yer sweat shirt."  
  
Bobby stared at him for a minute. What does he need my sweat shirt for?, he thought.  
  
"Bobby!" Logan exclaimed. "Gimme yer damn sweat shirt!"  
  
"Okay, okay," Bobby said. He quickly took it off and handed it to Logan. Logan hurriedly put it on, then lifted Ebony off the ground, careful not to touch her with his hands.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
It was quiet. And Jean was enjoying it to its full extent. She would even go so far as to call it peaceful. Jean had come to realize that quiet was a rare thing to be cherished whenever it came wherever one was. She had also learned that quiet was especially hard to come by in the Xavior mansion. But like all good things, her treasured quiet was brought to an abrupt end. Jean looked up from the file she had been studying when someone came barging into the lab.  
  
As she walked out into the examination room, she saw Scott walking with Rogue, who was looking down at her arm. She became alarmed when Logan came walking in with Ebony in her arms.  
  
She's causing about as much trouble as Logan did when he first came here, Jean thought.  
  
"What happened?" she asked.  
  
"She lost control of her optic blasts apparently," Scott said.  
  
"Oh, no," Jean said. "What happened?"  
  
"She took off 'er glasses, and blew away th' table," Rogue said.  
  
"What happened to your arm?" she asked, looking her arm, already moving over her tray of medical supplies.  
  
"A piece flew up into it," Rogue said, wincing when Jean pulled out a small piece of wood.  
  
"Looks like it needs a few stitches," Jean said. "That won't take too long."  
  
After Rogue had been attended too, and given some pills to ease any pain that might occur, Jean turned her attentions to Ebony. The girl still hadn't opened her eyes since the accident. Logan had set her on one of the beds, her feet hanging over the edge.  
  
"Ebony," Jean said softly, "I'm going to point you towards an object that won't be missed if the same thing happens again. I'm going to ask you to take your glasses off, okay?"  
  
"No," Ebony said. "Ah cain't control it. Ah know that. There's no testin' ta do."  
  
"How do you know?" Jean asked. Scott was listening intently as well.  
  
"It's happened 'afore," she said.  
  
"When?"  
  
"Ah dunno," she replied. "'Afore Ah ran away."  
  
"It's okay to open your eyes," Scott said. "The glasses will keep the blast from destroying anything."  
  
"Uh-uh," Ebony said, shaking her head.  
  
"What?" he asked, alarmed.  
  
"It's too strong," she said. "Th' glasses ain't strong enough."  
  
"They were earlier," Scott said, getting more and more worried. "Why aren't they now?"  
  
She mumbled something only Logan could here, who still had yet to say anything.  
  
"Shot?" Logan asked. "What're ya talkin' 'bout?"  
  
"Shot?" Jean and Scott asked at the same time.  
  
"Ah needa shot every three months to keep mah powers in control," she explained with a sigh.  
  
"Why didn't you tell us?" Jean exclaimed.  
  
"Ah didn' remember 'till now," Ebony said, lowering her head.  
  
"How could you not remember?" Scott practically yelled.  
  
"Scott, calm down," Jean said, laying a hand on his arm in silent comfort. "Why couldn't you remember Ebony?"  
  
"Ah remember things in flashes," she said quietly. "When Ah put mah glasses back on, Ah remembered."  
  
The room was silent for until the professor came into the room. Jean started to explain, but stopped when the professor held up a hand.   
  
"I heard everything, Jean," he said, pointing to his head. Jean nodded.  
  
"What do we do now?" Scott asked.  
  
"Ebony, do you remember what kind of drug they gave you?"  
  
She thought for a minute. She shook her head. "Ah don', sorry. They nevah told me th' name, just gave it to me."  
  
The professor wheeled himself over to her. "Ebony," he said quietly, "I have to get inside your head to find out what kind of drug it was."  
  
"No!" she whispered fiercely. "Ya, ya cain't."  
  
"Why?" he asked in a soothing tone.  
  
"Ya just cain't!" she said.   
  
"What are you scared of?" he asked.  
  
"Nuthin', ya just cain't go in mah head," she said.  
  
"Do remember what happens when you don't get the drugs you need?" Scott asked.  
  
Her brow creased in concentration. "Mah powers get outta control, so powerful Ah cain't control 'em," she whispered.  
  
"Ebony, unless you let me inside your head to help you, I can't do anything," Charles said.  
  
"Ah know," she said.  
  
"Until we can find a way to get your powers under control, I'm going to have you kept sedated to keep yourself and others safe," he said.  
  
"Aiight," she said. She frowned again. Charles could tell she was trying to think of something.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Ah just remembered sumthin," she said. "There 'as anothah mutant that took care ov me. Ah don' remember 'is name, but he 'as an odd guy. Blue, Ah think. An' hairy." She paused for a minute. "Ah dunno how much stock ta put in that, but it maght help. Ya think?"  
  
"Maybe," Charles said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Just maybe."  
  
To be continued…  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Part five. My creative juices are flowing, and just by saying that, I'm probably cursing them. :) I'm hoping to add more to this tomorrow, maybe even tonight if I get any bright ideas. :)  
  
I'm not that familiar with the histories of all the X-Men, so I'm making assumptions and winging it from what I've learned by reading other fan fics. Any mistakes I've made, please let me know. :)  
  
As always, feedback is greatly appreciated. :)  
  
Disclaimers in part one.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
After Ebony had been sedated and put safely into a private room in the lab, there was a conference in the professor's office as to how they should proceed with the situation.   
  
Ororo didn't quite know what to make of it. She knew the circumstances could get worse, how much worse, she didn't know. She felt bad for the girl. Though she barely knew Ebony, her heart went out to the young mutant. The young girl didn't deserve to have to worry about controlling all the powers she had; no one did. She herself had to be careful with her powers. She was always in control of her emotions, no matter how angry she was, or how sad she was, or how distraught. One little slip of her carefully obtained control could prove disastrous. At one time just the knowledge of the way she had to control her powers was dangerous enough, and she hadn't handled it all that well. She was surprised, however, that the girl was as hospitable as she was considering all she had been through. What she remembers anyway, Ororo thought.  
  
Jean was confused. In all her years of medicine, she'd never seen or even heard of anything like this. She'd never heard of a drug that could control a mutant's powers should the being not be able to control, or could not be trained to control, the powers by themselves. If such a drug did in fact exist, many mutants would be helped. Rogue and Scott came to her mind instantly. She was excited at the thought of being able to help the two of them. She scolded herself. She knew better then to get excited over the possibility of something. However, if such a drug did exist, it was the only solution she saw of helping Ebony. Right now, she had no other ideas, not even far-fetched ones that she could sometimes come up with in the far corners of her imaginative and artistic mind.  
  
Scott was pessimistic about the whole thing. He doubted such a drug existed. He had long since given up hope at ever being able to view the world as a normal being, or normal mutant, if there was such a thing. To him, everything was red-tinted. His glasses didn't cloud his judgement as they did his vision. He was always one to be counted on in the heat of the moment; he took great pride in that fact. Some called him heartless, strict. That was what he let them think. He'd been hurt enough times in his life that he was going to do everything within his ability and more to help anyone and everyone he cared about to keep them from feeling even a thousandth of the pain he'd felt in his lifetime. So he let them think him cold, unfeeling. If he was overly cautious, so be it. It was that over-protectiveness that had saved his friends, or family as he viewed them, more than once. Besides, it was his nature to step back and examine everything very carefully before making a decision. He wouldn't let this situation be any different.  
  
Professor Charles Xavior was open-minded to the situation. He'd heard rumors of such a drug, and such testing on young mutants. He'd even heard of mutants being created artificially, as he guessed was the case with young Ebony. He had a feeling that in actuality she was only a few years old, her age advanced artificially, as artificially as he suspected she had been created. He considered what she had said about a mutant taking care of her, it was a possibility; at this point anything was a possibility. After he learned what the others thought, he was going to use Cererbro to see if her mutant caretaker existed. What she had told him was less information that he would have preferred, but he'd found mutants on less. If he found this mystery mutant, maybe he could even find where she had escaped. Anything's a possible, he thought to himself.  
  
Logan was furious. He had never really come to terms with what had been done to him. Though his claws had their advantages sometimes, he still failed to see how the damned Adamantium throughout his body accomplished. What infuriated him even more was the fact that he had been experimented on in a military camp in Canada. Ebony had a southern accent. Is the military base that had experimented on her in the US?, he wondered. Nowhere in Canada, to his knowledge at least, had an accent like that. Her accent was too close to the resident southern belle, Rogue. Damn them!, he thought. He could only imagine the pain and suffering Ebony had endured. Lord knows, he'd had more than his fair share, and he just had his claws. She had his claws in more. He was convinced all of her mutations were artificial, save maybe the telekinesis, telepathy, or healing ability. When he stopped to contemplate what the girl had been through, his blood boiled. For that reason, he tried not to think of what she had been through, and just help her. After the last time he'd thought about it, he swore not to do it again, for when he'd thought about it, his rage had taken over him. The next thing he'd known, he'd cut down a few trees and destroyed them to pieces. Firewood for winter. Not too soon to stock up, he thought with his twisted humor.  
  
"So what're we gonna do?" he asked, breaking the silence and drawing everyone out of their inner thoughts.  
  
"I can get to work in the lab and see if I can come up with anything to have any effect on dampening the strength of her powers," Jean thought out loud.  
  
"That could take years," Scott said, his arms crossed across his muscular chest, his brow furrowed in thought. Logan scowled at him; Scott ignored him.  
  
"I'm going to attempt to find the mutant she spoke of with Cererbro," Charles said.  
  
"That's a long shot as well," Scott said. "We don't know that such a mutant exists. She could have been hallucinating."  
  
"Another show of support from red eye," Logan muttered. He ignored the look he felt Scott give him.  
  
"We can't keep her sedated forever," Ororo said.  
  
"That's why we gotta hurry," Logan said, popping his claws in frustration. He retracted them, knowing he'd proved his point.  
  
"I don't hear you suggesting anything, Logan," Scott said.  
  
"Professor, Jean, is there any way you could get into her mind and shut down whatever's causing the overload of strength to her powers?" Ororo asked, ignoring the other men in the room until they started to talk reasonably.  
  
The professor and Jean exchanged a look. Everyone could tell they were talking to each other with their minds.  
  
"I could try it," the professor said. "As a last resort, though. After last night's performance, I don't want to try to get into her head. It might prove too dangerous. And even if it was safe, there's no guarantee that I could find what's causing this. She's bound to have shields, considering her strength as a telepath."  
  
"So she's screwed?" Logan asked, his anger obvious in every word. When no one said anything, he persisted. "She's screwed, right? All this damn fancy gizmos ya got, and ya can't save 'er?"  
  
"It's not that simple, Logan," Jean began. Logan cut her off with a wave of his hand and stormed out the door. There were trees to be cut down. And maybe a bike to steal…again.  
  
To be continued…  



	6. Default Chapter Title

Part six. I know it's short, but I figured since it'd been a few days without an update, this was better than nothing. I've got more coming, but since I cursed my creative juices in the last part, it might be a while since they've decided to stop flowing. That'll teach me. :) Plus, I've learned my AP History teacher believes in long reading assignments with really big words. :) But, I hope to have another piece coming soon.  
  
Disclaimers in part one. Also, Calvin Klein's Eternity perfume doesn't belong to me, though I own a bottle of the wonderful smelling stuff. ")  
  
The usual: Please review. It's always welcomed. :)  
  
Enjoy. :)  
  
CKWan  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Logan?" Jean said.  
  
"What?" he asked harshly, turning to give her a hard look.  
  
"Um, there's something in your hair," she said, walking over to take it out. This close, she could tell he'd been taking out his frustrations with his claws. This she could tell by the smell of sweat radiating from him and the way that his face and what she could see of his chest were glistening. She noted the bits of blood she saw on the sleeves of his shirt. He must have got himself a few times, she thought.  
  
Logan could smell her perfume, Calvin Klein's Eternity. He knew the name because Scott had given it to her the previous Christmas. From what he could tell, it was her favorite. Her long red hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail, her bangs perfectly curled, framing her face. She was wearing a simple black dress with no sleeves that came down to about her knees.   
  
She took a piece of something out of his worse-than-usual messy hair. She examined it for a moment.  
  
"Wood?" she asked, looking into his eyes.  
  
"Cuttin' down fire wood," he said. "We won' get snow here fer a while, but nothin' wrong with bein' prepared." He offered a small smile.  
  
She smiled back.  
  
"Anythin' on Ebony?" he asked even though he already knew the answer.   
  
Jean shook her head. "The professor's searching through his files to see if there's ever been a case like hers been reported. I don't think he's going to find anything, but it doesn't hurt to check. When he's done with that, he's going to search for the mutant she mentioned."  
  
"She wasn' hallucinating, no matter what One-" he stopped at her look. "No matter what Scott says. I can tell when people are lyin'. An' I know what it's like ta remember bits and pieces of yer life."  
  
Jean nodded in sympathy. "Well, if all else fails, he can search her mind."  
  
Logan shook his head. "That ain't gonna work," he said. "Ya saw how she flipped last time."  
  
"Yeah," Jean said. "But if it's our only choice, we've got to do it."  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Thanks for showing up on time, Logan," Scott said from his seat in the professor's office later that day. Logan ignored him and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of the desk.  
  
"What 've ya got?" Logan demanded.  
  
"I didn't find anything in my files," Charles said, "but I didn't think I would. However, I did find a mutant close to the one she described with Cerebro."  
  
"Where is he?" Logan asked, already standing up.   
  
"He's in New Orleans," the professor said.  
  
"Then what are we waiting for?" he said, heading towards the door. He had the door open and was about to walk out when he heard the professor say something.  
  
"That's not all, Logan," Charles said.  
  
"What?" he said, frozen in his place halfway out the door.  
  
"I saw other mutants on the base," he explained. "The one Ebony mentioned is named Henry McCoy. There are two other mutants there. One by the name of Remy Lebeau, and the other I couldn't determine the name of."  
  
"More?" Jean asked. "What are-"  
  
She was cut off by a scream. Everyone froze. Scott was about to ask who it was when another scream filled the air.  
  
"Ebony," Logan said before he continued out the door and down the hall to the lab. The others followed him. "Ebony!" he yelled. He was answered with another scream. The sound of breaking glass stopped him. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath as he watched a bottle of medicine crash into the wall behind him. "Her mind's outta control."  
  
"I don't understand," Jean said, running up to Logan with Scott and Ororo right behind her. They ducked as a tray of medical supplies flew at them. "She was sedated."  
  
"Her healin' factor's workin'," Logan said. "It got rid of the sedative."  
  
Jean was silent for a minute. "I should have thought of that. What do we do now?"  
  
"If anythin' hits me, I'll be okay," Logan said, expecting them to understand. "Gimme a needle with somethin' in it to put 'er out, an' we'll be fine."  
  
"What if you can't get a hold of her?" Scott asked.  
  
"My claws won' hurt her none, so I'll just wound her enough to get 'er to sit still," he said.  
  
"You said her healing power was accelerated," Ororo said.  
  
"She still gotta heal," Logan replied. "Jean, gimme a needle for it."  
  
Seeing no other option, she walked over to her supplies, avoiding objects along the way. Luckily, she found one bottle of sedatives she thought strong enough to keep Ebony out still in one piece. It was one of few bottles still safe. Moments later, she handed Logan a syringe with the strong sedative.  
  
"Let's hope this works," she said as she watched Logan, along with Scott and Ororo, head over to the room Ebony was in. They all jumped when an ear-piercing scream filled the air. They became nervous when they heard the familiar sound of Logan's claws extracting. Seconds later they heard a short, agonized yelp. Shortly after, objects stopped their paths through the air. Everyone jumped when the floating needles and such shattered or broke when they hit the ground.  
  
Jean cautiously made her way to the room. She ignored Scott's worried yell, and walked through the door. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock.  
  
The room was a complete mess. Ebony's bed was in pieces, the blankets and sheets thrown across the floor, some covered in blood. The machines that had been hooked up to her to monitor her vitals were either in the main room, or in pieces by the walls, evidence that they'd been thrown against them. There were pieces of shattered glass all over the floor. A chunk of the ceiling was on the floor, blackened around the edges, showing just a fraction of the strength behind her optic blasts. Jean looked up and saw glimpses of the kitchen. She finally focused on Logan.  
  
"Oh my," she whispered. His face was covered in blood, whether it was his or Ebony's, she didn't know. His claws were still extended. His shirt was in pieces, barely staying on his muscular form. Blood trickled down his chest, the wounds already healed. Ebony lay at his feet. A pool of blood, but her arm showed no hints of harm, surrounded her right arm. The needle was sticking out her left arm, contents gone. She made eye contact with Logan. They were losing their wild look, regaining their usual barely in check anger and inquisitive look. "Are you okay?" she whispered.  
  
He looked at her a long time before responding. "I'm alright," he said gruffly. With that, he bent to pick Ebony up. Her small frame hung limply in his grip. "Where should I take 'er?"  
  
"Back in her room for now," she said, her mind still trying to fully understand what had just taken place. "I'll put her on an IV of sedatives. Maybe that'll keep her out."  
  
Logan just shrugged and brushed past her. Scott came to stand beside her.   
  
"Jeeze," he said. "What a mess."  
  
"We've got to get that mutant now," Jean said, still surveying the damage. "If we don't, the mansion won't be standing for much longer."  
  
"I'll ready the jet," Scott said.  
  
To be continued....  



	7. Default Chapter Title

Part seven. I have no idea how much longer this will be. I'm just winging it. :)   
  
I hope this part turns out okay. I wrote it after a long day at school, and I don't really know anything about Beast/Hank, so I don't think I got the characterization right. Remy's questionable too. Personally, I think he's dorky in this part, but I hope to change that. And references made to Bobby's name and what he was named after is purely made up from my sick, twisted mind. ;)  
  
As always, feedback is craved. :)  
  
CKWan  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
An hour later they were on their way. Jean had stayed behind with the professor to keep an eye on Ebony and strengthen her sedatives if needs be. In her place, after much debate, they brought Bobby. He was old enough they thought and had enough control over his cold power. This wasn't his first mission, but his first "big" one. Logan thought they'd do just fine with the three of them, but Scott and Ororo had argued that they had no idea what to expect, and another person on their side wouldn't hurt.  
  
On the way to New Orleans, Logan was, as usual, restless. For this mission he had a new uniform, seeing as the last one had been destroyed on the last mission. He had never gotten used to the tight leather uniforms they had to wear, and fidgeted, popping his claws in frustration and impatience. Scott cast him a quick glance. Logan glared at him. Ororo hid a small smile. Bobby laughed, earning himself a look from Scott.  
  
"Calm down, oh fearless one," Logan said. "Relax a bit."  
  
"I'll relax when we're all back home safely with all the mutants securely in our care," Scott said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Don't ask for much, do ya Cyke?" Bobby asked.   
  
"Robert," Scott said in warning.  
  
"Robert?" Logan asked. "That's yer real name?"  
  
Bobby mumbled something in response.  
  
"Ya were named after yer grandpa's dog?!" Logan exclaimed. Bobby blushed, having forgotten about Logan's enhanced hearing. Logan howled with laughter, the first time anyone had ever heard the old man actually laugh. Bobby felt like crawling under a rock when he heard Ororo start chuckling. Scott coughed a few times to cover up his own laughter.  
  
"Ha ha," Bobby said. "It's not funny."  
  
"Ya it is!" Logan managed between bits of laughter.   
  
"It is not!"  
  
Scott broke into the ensuing argument by reporting that the building the professor had "seen" the mutants. As he and Ororo searched for a place to land, Logan promised Bobby he wouldn't tell anyone. Bobby hid his face in his hands as Logan continued to chuckle a little. Any other conversation was cut off when they landed on the edge of the Red River.  
  
"The building's only a block from here," Scott said. "It's dark, so we shouldn't stand out too much."  
  
"Yeah right," Logan mumbled. "How should we enter the building?"  
  
"Without alarming anyone would be my suggestion," Bobby said. "What?" he exclaimed at the glares he got from the others.  
  
"We'll have Logan and Bobby go in first, since they're the least suspicious looking out of the four of us," Scott said. He ignored Ororo's look. "You'll have to improvise from there because the professor wasn't able to tell what kind of security they have."  
  
"What level are they on?" Bobby asked.  
  
"The fourth," Scott said. "Let's go. And try to be careful to not hurt anyone," he said, looking at Logan. It was his turn to feign innocence.  
  
Scott and Ororo walked behind the other two a few paces, acting like a couple. They pretended to make small talk, leaning in to speak to each other, arms entwined, and large, silly grins upon their faces.  
  
Ahead of them, the two men walked silently. They were almost to the building when Logan spoke.  
  
"What kind?" he asked quietly.  
  
"What?" Bobby asked, confused.  
  
"What kinda dog was it?"  
  
Bobby hung his head, shaking it.  
  
"Huh?" Logan persisted. "What breed?"  
  
"It was a, a," Bobby stammered. He couldn't bring himself to tell Logan. At Logan's raised eyebrows and narrowed eyes, he was persuaded to say. "It was a toy poodle, okay? Happy?"  
  
Logan had to stop himself from laughing out loud. "Ya, kid, ya," he said, trying to contain himself. "Ya made my day."  
  
"I'm thrilled," Bobby said sarcastically. "Here we are," he said, happy to change the subject.  
  
"Well don' jest stand there, go in," Logan said.  
  
"Okay, okay," he said, walking through the door. He cautiously walked through the metal detectors.   
  
"Dammit," he heard behind him.   
  
"What?" Bobby asked. Logan unsheathed his claws and destroyed the machine with a single swipe of his hands. "Oh."  
  
"Let's see if we c'n find 'em," Logan said, retracting his claws.  
  
"It's awfully quiet," Bobby commented as they headed towards the stairs. Right as he finished saying that, three security guards appeared in front of them, guns drawn.  
  
"Freeze!" one of them yelled.  
  
"Ya spoke too soon, kid," Logan growled.  
  
"This building is a restricted area," one with short black hair and black eyes said. "You have to leave."  
  
"We ain't goin' nowhere," Logan said, moving into a fighting stance: legs apart, hips rotated for balance, arms free.  
  
"The police can be here in two minutes," a blonde guy said.  
  
"Goody for them," Logan remarked. "Bobby."  
  
"Yeah?" Bobby asked.  
  
"It's kinda warm in here, don' ya think?"  
  
"Yeah, it is," Bobby said, getting Logan's drift. He started to lower the temperature in the room with his powers. The guards looked at them, confused and starting to get scared. "It's also not white enough," he remarked, drawing the moisture in the air into snowflakes and centering them around the guards. It wasn't long before the guards were buried in snow, but not before one of them managed to get a shot off.   
  
"Damn!" Bobby yelled as the bullet lodged itself in his upper left arm.  
  
"Ya okay, Drake?" Logan asked, walking over to him. Bobby clenched his arm tightly with his right hand.  
  
"I'll be okay."  
  
"Ya sure?"  
  
"Yeah," Bobby muttered. "Jerk," he said of the one that shot him. He piled more snow on him.  
  
"Live snowmen," Logan remarked. "Interestin'."  
  
Bobby managed a small smile. "Let's head upstairs." Not being able to resist the temptation, he scooped up a handful of the snow and chucked it at Logan. He couldn't hold back his laughter at the old man's glare. "Just getting you back for earlier."  
  
"You got it comin', Bub," Logan said. "Jest ya wait."  
  
Bobby responded with a smile.  
  
"Will you two get upstairs already?" Scott called from behind them. Logan growled deep in his chest, flexing his hand.   
  
"We're getting Cyke," Bobby called.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Which door?" Bobby asked, standing in a hallway he guessed about a hundred feet long with doors on either side.  
  
"Yer guess's good as mine, kid," Logan said, staring down the hall to the left of them.  
  
"You take the right side, I'll take the left, okay?"  
  
"Whatever, 's long 's we find them damned mutants."  
  
"Hey dere!"  
  
"You say something, Logan?" Bobby asked, as he checked the first door. Blank computer screens stared back at him.  
  
"No, did ya?"  
  
"Would I ask you if I said something?"  
  
"I dunno kid," Logan replied. "I dunno what's goin' on in that doggie head of yers."  
  
"Wolverine," Bobby said warningly.  
  
"What did ya call me, Bub?" Logan growled, stalking up to him.  
  
"You heard me," Bobby said, unwisely standing his ground.  
  
"Hey dere, hommes!" someone yelled right before Logan popped his claws and Bobby started making snow.  
  
"'Hommes?'" both men said together.  
  
"Who's there?" Bobby yelled.  
  
"Remy!" the voice called again. "Ya gotta git me outta here, hommes!"  
  
"Another southerner?" Bobby asked, rolling his blue eyes. "Jeeze. Like we needed more."  
  
"This one sounds worse," Logan said. "Sounds like he's gotta French accent too."  
  
"Great. I can see it now: all the girls will be swooning over this guy."  
  
"Ya mean our miss southern belle, don' ya Bobby?" Logan asked with a gleam in his eye. "Kitty and Jubes don' strike me as the types ta go after French southerners."  
  
"Hommes? Ya dere?"  
  
"We're comin' Cajun!" Logan yelled.  
  
"Cajun?" Bobby asked.  
  
"Why not?" Logan asked with a small smile on his rugged features. "Where ya at Remy?"  
  
"Over here!"  
  
"Where's here?" Bobby asked, getting annoyed.  
  
"De third door down de hall," he said. "To de right."  
  
"You go first," Bobby said.  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"I already claimed the left side of the hall," Bobby said with a smile. "You got the right."  
  
"Oh ya got it comin'," Logan said, raising his fist.  
  
"Hurry up, up there!" Scott yelled from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Alright, alright," Bobby said. "Jeeze."  
  
Claws out and prepared for anything, Logan cut down the metal door. Bobby was behind him, ready to help Logan if anything attacked him.  
  
"Woah dere hommes!" came the startled reply. "Gambit not hurt ya!"  
  
"There's two of ya in here?" Logan asked.  
  
"Non, jest Gambit."  
  
"Who's Gambit?" Bobby asked.  
  
"Remy of course."  
  
"He's talking in third person," Bobby said, looking for a light switch. When he turned on the overhead light, he turned to study the mutant.  
  
He was tall, with long, thick chestnut hair down to his shoulder blades. He had a big build, and with the white T-shirt he was wearing, Bobby could see every muscle from the waist up was completely defined and the man was very powerful looking. It was his eyes that caught their attention though. Instead of whites surrounding the pupil like normal, his eyes were black. The pupil was red.  
  
"What ya hommes here for?" the mutant asked, pupils widening and narrowing.  
  
"We're here to get you out of here," Bobby said, as he took in the small room with only a mattress and small dresser in it. There was no window, the single light bulb overhead the only source of light.  
  
"Oh really?" Remy asked, suspiciously crossing his muscular arms across his huge chest. "What's it gonna cost Gambit?"  
  
"Who's Gam-" Bobby started to ask, but stopped himself. "Nothing. It's not gonna cost you anything."  
  
"Gambit don' believe ya," he said, his pupil becoming smaller.  
  
"Believe what ya want, Bub," Logan said. "But we're leavin' either way."  
  
"Okay, Gambit come wit ya," he said. "Lemme pack a few t'ings first, okay hommes?"  
  
"Sure," Bobby said. "Um, you wouldn't happen to know a mutant names Henry McCoy would you?"  
  
"Beast?" Remy asked. "Big blue homme?"  
  
"Yeah," Bobby said.   
  
"Five doors down on de left," he said as he grabbed a few things from a small dresser in the room, shoving them into a shirt he'd fashioned into a bag.  
  
"Logan," Bobby started.  
  
"No way, kid," Logan said. "This one's yers. Ya got the left side of th' hall right?"  
  
Bobby opened his mouth to protest, but realized it would do little good.  
  
"Homme," Remy said as Bobby started to walk off. Bobby stopped and turned to look at the mutant. "Don' worry 'bout Beast. He's huge, but nice guy. An' don' let the fur scare ya."  
  
"Fur?" Bobby asked, but the word fell on deaf ears, for Gambit was looking through the stuff he'd collected in his shirt, mumbling things in French to himself. With a small shrug, he headed towards the door to the other mutant's room.  
  
"Hello?" Bobby asked when he got there. "Henry McCoy?"  
  
"Yes?" a deep voice from the other side answered. "Who might you be?"  
  
"Bobby Drake, member of the X-Men," Bobby replied.  
  
"The X-Men?"  
  
"Yes," Bobby said. "I'm here concerning a young mutant girl who claims you took care of her."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Her name is Ebony. Her powers are getting out of control and she claims you have a drug that will keep them in control."  
  
"Renee?" the voice asked, sounding much louder. Bobby assumed he was by the door.  
  
"She doesn't remember her real name, but she remembers the name 'Renee' vaguely."  
  
"Where is she?" the mutant demanded.  
  
"She's at X-Men headquarters in Manchester, New York," Bobby said. "Do you have the drug she needs?"  
  
"I don't have any made right now, but I can make some in a matter of hours."  
  
"Can you bring the supplies with you to New York?" Bobby asked, unknowingly crossing his fingers.  
  
"You can get me out of here?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. McCoy, we can."  
  
"Call me Hank."  
  
"Okay, Hank, yes we can get you out of here," Bobby said.  
  
"We have to try to get Tatiana out of here as well," he said.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Another mutant like Renee," Hank said. "She's next door to me."  
  
Another one?, Bobby thought.   
  
"We can try," Bobby said. "Logan," he called.  
  
"Yer on yer own, kid," Logan said.  
  
"I need you to take down the door," Bobby replied.  
  
Grumbling to himself, Logan clawed down the door. Both X-Men stepped back when Hank walked out. The mutant was HUGE. He stood a good two feet over Bobby, who wasn't short himself. Hank looked like he was as wide as Bobby, Logan, and Scott standing shoulder to shoulder, though he didn't look fat by any means. In fact, he was incredibly muscular, and that's what scared Bobby and Logan.  
  
"Ya ready ta go, hommes?" Gambit asked, walking over what was left of his door.  
  
"We have to get Tatiana, my red-eyed southern friend," Hank said.  
  
"Oh, ya, we have ta get Chere," Gambit agreed.  
  
Hank walked to the door next to his room and pounded it in with one pound of his fist.  
  
"Why didn't you just do that to get out of your own room?" Bobby asked.  
  
"They made the door too strong," Hank said. "Tatiana!"  
  
Gambit ran over to the door to see what Hank was exclaiming over. "Chere!" he yelled as he ran into the room himself. Logan and Bobby hurried to the door to see a girl that looked exactly like Ebony hanging by her neck from the electric cord with the light bulb attached to it. Both X-Men could tell the poor girl was dead, but Hank lowered her anyway and attempted to revive her.  
  
Even Remy could see it was hopeless. "Homme, she gone," he said sadly.  
  
"Poor girl," Hank said. He sat in silence for a minute before grabbing a blanket off the mattress in the room and covered her body with it. "I need to get into the lab to get the supplies in order to make the drug for Renee."  
  
"Renee?!" Remy exclaimed. "Where she be?"  
  
"She's safe in Manchester," Bobby said. "We have to hurry though, she needs that drug!"  
  
"Gambit hear ya homme!" he said as he ran down the hall. "Woah! Who's dis? Hello, Chere," he said gently.  
  
"Remy?" Bobby yelled. He ran down the hall just in time to see him kissing Ororo's hand. Apparently, the two had gotten impatient waiting downstairs. Scott was staring at Remy, trying to decide whether or not he should blast him. "Woah, Cyke, it's okay. That's Remy LeBeau."  
  
"Cyke?" Remy asked. "Who be Cyke?"  
  
"I'm Scott Summers, Cyclops, leader of the X-Men," Scott said extending a hand. Remy shook it, his eyes on Storm all the while. Ororo finally began to blush under his unwavering stare. "Bobby, what happened to your arm?"  
  
"One of the guards got me," he said. "I think the bullet went all the way through. Jean can fix it up when we get home. I'll be fine."  
  
"Let's go," Logan said, carrying Tatiana in his arms, Hank behind him, huge arms full of supplies. Scott's hand went to his visor at the sight of Hank.  
  
"Cyke, it's okay," Bobby said again. "That's the mutant Ebony was talking about that took care of her."  
  
"Let's go," Logan said again, this time clenching his hand, threatening to pop his claws.  
  
"Wazza matter dere, homme?" Remy asked, mimicking Logan's hand movements.  
  
"It's his way of telling saying to get going."  
  
"Talk about having patience," Scott said. He took a minute to fully notice Logan. "What're you carrying?"  
  
"Tatiana," Hank said. "She's just like Renee, but decided to kill herself. She and Renee were sisters."  
  
"Renee?" Storm asked.  
  
"Ebony," Logan explained shortly. "Now let's go."  
  
Without waiting for a reply he walked past Scott and Ororo, heading downstairs to go to the jet. The others followed behind them.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"I hope they get here soon," Jean said as she checked Ebony's vitals. "Her pulse is accelerating, and her blood pressure's rising also."  
  
The professor sat at the end of the bed, chin in his hands. "I wasn't able to find anything out about the company in New Orleans. This is the first I've ever heard of them."  
  
"This is the first I've ever heard of this kind of experimentation on mutants," Jean said. Anything else she was going to say was cut short when the lab started to vibrate. "They're back! Will you stay here and watch over here, professor?" Jean asked.  
  
"Of course," he said. "Go make sure everyone's okay."  
  
Jean nodded and ran off to meet them.  
  
To be continued... 


	8. Default Chapter Title

Part eight. Sorry for the long wait. History sucks! I know this is short, but I thought something was better then nothing, and my creative juices are pretty much non-existant right now, damn things. :)  
  
The usual: Feedback please. I love it all. Well, some more than others, but I appreiciate it all!! :)  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
"Scott!" Jean cried, running to his arms. "You're okay!"  
  
"I'm fine," Scott said, giving her a quick kiss. "Bobby's not though. He got a bullet in his arm. We found three mutants, including the one Ebony mentioned, and two others. One of them killed herself, unfortunately though. Apparently Ebony's twin sister." He motioned to the girl Logan was carrying in his arms.  
  
"Let's get everyone to the lab before we get into details," Jean said, glancing at the new mutants. "Bobby, let me see your arm real quick." She tore off the arm of his uniform and examined the wound. "Looks like it went through. You're very lucky Robert."  
  
At the mention of his full name, Logan coughed. He didn't say anything and raised his arm in a threatening manner at Bobby's glare.  
  
"What's that all about?" Jean asked as she started walking to the lab, the others walking with her.  
  
::I'll tell you later,:: Scott said through their mental bond. ::Bobby would kill me if I said anything out loud. Ororo and I are going to finish putting away the jet.:: Jean nodded, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.  
  
Jean nodded. "Did you get the drug?"  
  
The blue mutant cut in at that moment. "I can make it in a few hours," he said. "By the way miss, I'm Hank McCoy," offering a huge hand to shake.  
  
"Dr. Jean Grey," Jean said, taking his fur-covered hand. "Nice to meet you."  
  
"'Ello dere, Chere," the other mutant said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Remy's pleased ta meet ya."  
  
::He talks in third person,:: Scott sent hurriedly before going to take care of the jet.   
  
"Nice to meet you too, Remy," Jean said. She noticed he was wearing sunglasses. I wonder if his eyes are like Ebony's, Jean thought fleetingly. "Can you make the drug any faster?" she asked Hank.  
  
"I'm not entirely sure," he replied. "Why?"  
  
"She's on an IV drip of sedatives," Jean said. "We gave her a shot a few hours ago, but her healing factor quickly got rid of it. Her vitals aren't stable either. Her pulse is accelerating and her blood pressure is rising."  
  
"In that case, I'll try to hurry, but I can't guarantee anything," he said.  
  
"I understand," Jean said as she opened the door to the med lab. "Bobby, go sit on an examination table. Logan, lay the girl on an examination table as well. We might be able to get some answers from her that may prevent something like this with Ebony in the future. I'm going to get Hank set up so he can get that drug started."  
  
"Where be Renee?" Remy asked.  
  
"Renee?" Jean asked, looking up from a set of scientific beakers.  
  
"Ebony's real name," Bobby said.  
  
"Through that door," Jean said, pointing. "The professor's with her."  
  
Logan followed Remy to go see her.  
  
"There we go," Jean said a minute later. "Work your magic, Hank," she said with a smile and lightly patted the blue being on his giant arm.  
  
"About time," Bobby said jokingly when Jean came to examine him.  
  
"You want to be attended at all?" Jean asked with a small smile.  
  
Bobby smiled back.  
  
"This may hurt," Jean said as she put something on his wound to clean it.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Baby," Jean muttered. She affirmed her earlier suspicions that the bullet had passed through and dressed the wound. She quickly gave him instructions about changing the dressings and gave him some painkillers. "And Rogue is in the rec room with Jubilee and Kitty. I think they're watching '10 Things I Hate About You'. Again," she added with a small smile.  
  
Bobby blushed at having Jean guess his thoughts and quickly left the room. Jean walked over to where Hank was mixing formulas.   
  
"How's it going?" she asked.  
  
"Pretty good," he said, measuring a clear fluid to add to the light blue mixture.  
  
"Did the other girl need these shots, too?"  
  
"Her name was Tatiana. And no, she didn't," he said. "She had something in her DNA that prevented her powers from getting out of hand. Renee wasn't as blessed as her sister. We tried implanting the gene into Renee's body, but it nearly killed her. Somewhere along the line of mixing DNA strands, the scientists in charge missed something or added something that wasn't supposed to be."  
  
"Who was behind the operation, do you know?" Jean asked.  
  
"I'm sorry, my red-headed friend, I don't," he said sadly. "There," he said as he set a long, skinny tube of liquid into a holder. "We just have to let it sit for a minimum of two hours, and it'll be ready.  
  
"Two hours?" Jean asked, slightly shocked. She knew some formulas took a while to mix, but two hours was close to forever in this case.  
  
"Any sooner than that, and the liquids won't be properly mixed. Trust me, we found out the hard way of how long to keep it mixing," Hank said. "The other scientists and I came close to killing poor Renee more than a few times."  
  
"You were in on this?" Jean asked. Her brown eyes flashed with a hint of anger.  
  
"Only to save dear Renee," he said quickly. He turned to look her in the eyes. Warm brown eyes met blue ones. "I'm an expert in genetics. I'm also an excellent doctor and did everything I could to keep that girl alive." He paused for a minute. "May I go see her now?"  
  
Jean nodded, trying to absorb this new information. With a shake of her head, she went into Ebony's room with the others. The professor hadn't moved. Hank and Remy were on either side of the bed, holding each of her gloved hands. Logan stood next to Remy, staring at the young mutant.  
  
Ebony seemed to be even paler than usual. Her hair was splayed against the pillow. She hadn't moved from the position Jean had left her in: slightly propped up, legs out straight in front of her. Jean quickly checked a few monitors near the bed and frowned. Ebony's pulse was still accelerating.   
  
Jean knew from the tests taken when Ebony first came here that the girl's pulse was slower then the average human's. Much slower: around forty beats per minute. Her blood pressure was normal, at the low ends of the human average scale.   
  
Now, however, the mutant's pulse was at 75 beats per minute. Her blood pressure was now in the high ends of the average human scale. They had risen in a matter hours, since breakfast when the first problems had started occurring. It was now early evening.   
  
Jean was worried about how much more her vitals would rise before the drug was ready. She was also concerned about the amount of sedatives might have to be used by that time to keep her under. Time will tell, unfortunately, Jean thought with a sigh. 


	9. Default Chapter Title

Part nine. Again, sorry for the long wait. 

Feedback as always appreciated. 

Enjoy. :) 

~`~`~`~ 

An hour later, Jean decided to start an autopsy on Ebony's sister. She hoped to find some way of keeping Ebony's powers under control without the help of drugs. She remembered that Hank had said something about already trying that, but Jean was determined to help the girl. 

Hank walked out of Ebony's room right before Jean started to perform the autopsy. 

"What are you doing?" he cried, rushing over to her. 

"I was hoping to find some answers about how these girls are genetically put together," she answered, putting down the scalpel she had in her hands. 

"You have to do that by playing coroner?" he asked. 

Jean sighed and hung her head. "I want to be able to help Ebony keep her powers in control without the use of drugs. If performing an autopsy on her sister is what it costs, I'll pay the price. I'm sorry." She raised her head to look him in the eyes. 

Hank sighed himself. "I should be the one apologizing," he said. "I'm still in shock over her death." 

"I'm sorry," Jean said as she reached to take one of Hank's hands in silent comfort. He gave a small smile at her. Jean cleared her throat. "I hope this isn't too much to ask, but do you think you could help me? I mean, you know a lot about these girls obviously and maybe you could answer some of my questions." 

Hank went silent for a minute. "I've taken care of both girls since they were babies. I've saved both of their lives on more than one occasion. Renee many more times than Tatiana. Renee always was the most trouble of the two. And I'm rambling," he said with another small smile. "Yes, I'll help you. It's another time that I have to save my dark-haired friend. I honestly thought she was dead by now without the drugs." 

"Thank you," Jean said quietly. She picked up the scalpel again. "Okay, question number one, how are they able to shape shift with Adamantium screwed to their bones?" 

"The scientists behind this whole operation came up with a flexible form of Adamantium," Hank said as he handed Jean the next tool she needed. "The girls can shift into any form that keeps the Adamantium within a certain length. They can shift into someone shorter or taller than themselves but the Adamantium can't shift into anything less then or bigger then half the original size of its length. The scientists found something in their genetics that allows them to stretch and constrict the metal to a certain length." 

Jean paused in her procedure to absorb this new information. She shook her head. "Sounds like they were trying to create the ultimate mutants. I've never heard of anything like this before. Other then Logan that is. But the scientists that strapped Adamantium to his bones didn't create him. They found him and realized his mutation would allow them to create a weapon that doesn't get injured…at least not for long." 

"Logan?" Hank asked. 

"The one that carried Tatiana in here," Jean said. "He's standing next to…Remy was it?" 

"Ah, Remy," Hank said with a small smile. "He's something else." 

"How does he fit into this?" 

"I'm not quite sure what they wanted with him," he said. "He'd only been there for a few months. I wasn't assigned to his case. I think it was something to do with his ability to change potential energy in nearly any object and change it to kinetic energy, which is usually explosive." 

"So that's his mutation," Jean said nodding. She stared at the exposed rib cage of Ebony's sister. "I think we should take this Adamantium from her bones so we can study it a bit. What do you think?" 

Hank took a minute to respond. He cleared his throat. "I think that would be a smart move." 

Jean decided to change the subject as she carefully removed the Adamantium from the girl's body. "How much longer for the drug?" 

Hank looked at her gratefully. He walked over to the tube. "I think another half hour should do it." 

"Would you mind going to check her vitals?" Jean asked. "I'm worried that they'll become a danger for her." 

"Sure thing," he said. 

"Thank you, Hank." 

He nodded and went to the room. Jean watched him, then went back to the autopsy. She lost all track of time, but glanced up at Scott and Ororo when they walked into the med lab. 

"Hey Jean," Scott said. When he saw that she was covered in blood up to her elbows and noticed she was holding a scalpel, he paused in trek to her. "What're you doing?" 

"Performing an autopsy," she grunted as she struggled to get a strip of Adamantium off of one of Tatiana's legs. 

"On who?" 

"Ebony's sister," she said as she finally got the strip separated from the bone. She added to the other strip she'd gotten off the other leg. 

"Oh," he said. "Where are the others?" 

"With Ebony." 

"How is she?" 

"Her vitals are still unstable," she said. She was about to say that the drug had half an hour left, but she wasn't sure how long ago Hank had said that. "Hank!" she called. 

He came out moments later. "Yes?" 

"How much longer does the drug have?" 

He went over to the tube. "It should be ready now," he said, tapping it a few times. 

"Should we put it on an IV drip, or just give her a shot?" 

"A shot works best. It takes a few minutes to work and the way her powers are now, her healing ability should get rid of the sedatives in her system if we take the IV out now." 

"Okay," Jean said. She took off her elbow length plastic gloves and threw them away. She grabbed a sheet and covered Tatiana's body. When she looked up at Hank, he had the needle ready, blue contents inside ready to be administered. "Let's do this," she said. 

~`~`~`~ 

All conversation stopped when Jean and Hank walked into the room with Scott and Ororo behind them. Remy and Logan stepped away from the bed to give the two doctors enough room. Jean took the IV out of Ebony's arm. She was careful not to move the glove too much, seeing as it only went to her wrist and not to her elbow due to the IV. The other arm's glove went to her elbow as a precaution. She also checked the ruby quartz glasses over the girl's eyes. They hadn't wanted to be caught unprepared by anything. 

She glanced up at Hank and nodded to him. He injected the drug into her veins. They both stepped back and waited. A few moments went by. 

"Why ain't anythin' happenin'?" Logan growled. 

"It takes a few minutes to take affect," Hank explained. Logan growled again. 

"Patience, homme," Remy said. "Chere be okay. Gambit seen 'er get dis shot 'afore. Everyt'ing be fine." 

Logan grunted in response. All was silent again. All eyes were focused on the young being who lay motionless on the bed before them. All ears strained for any sound that might slip from her lips. All, whether they were aware of it or not, were holding their breath. When the dark eyebrows of the being who held their undivided attention came together to form a frown, all their breath was released at once so that it seemed that the whole room sighed. When the young girl groaned quietly, some worry lifted from their shoulders. The mood in the room almost visibly lifted. 

~`~`~`~ 

What's goin' on here?, Ebony thought drowsily. After several attempts to frown she finally achieved her short-term goal. She wasn't, however, prepared for the pounding in her temples that resulted. A small groan escaped her pale pink lips. Deciding to add to her headache, she tried to open her eyes but found that too was too difficult. She was getting frustrated. Openin' mah ahyes shouldn' be this much work!, she thought. Ah feel awful! 

With a sudden burst of daring and will, she tried to "scan" the room telepathically to try to find out where she was. Her eyebrows shot up at all the people she sensed. What shocked her more were two particular beings that she hadn't sensed in months. A small smile played across her lips. Beast!, she thought happily. An' Remy! With more determination than before, she opened her eyes. 

And was alarmed to see that everything was tinted red. She couldn't tell one color from another. She began to panic. What did Ah take this tahme?!, she wondered. Ah've ne'vah hadda reaction lahke this 'afore! 

"It's okay, Ebony," someone said. She turned her eyes to the sound of the voice. Unable to tell who it was through the red haze, she reached out telepathically to determine who it was. Jean. Jean was talking to her. So tha's how Scott sees 'er, she thought. Her gaze shifted to someone standing to her right. It had to be Beast. No one else was that tall, that big, and that purple. Ah mean blue, she thought. Her smile returned. 

"Beast!" she exclaimed. "How'd ya get here? An' Remy too!" 

"Long story, Chere," Remy said as he kissed the back of her gloved hand. "'S good ta see ya 'gain." 

"Lahkewahse," she said with a smile. She turned her attention to Beast. "Ah'm assumin' ya made th' drug fer me?" 

"That's correct my pale friend," Beast said with a smile. 

"Where's Tatia?" she asked, suddenly excited at the thought of seeing her sister. Beast lowered his gaze. She instantly knew something had happened. "She's dead ain't she?" Silence was her answer. "How?" She began to get angry when an uncomfortable silence answered her again. Frustrated, she searched Beast's mind, knowing he would understand in this case. She gasped when she "saw" her beloved sister hanging from the light fixture through Beast's eyes. 

"I'm sorry, Renee," Beast said, having felt her in his mind. "She was very distraught after you left. She was convinced you'd come back for her." 

"So it's mah fault?" she asked, near tears. 

"No," he said quickly. "I think she became alarmed when she couldn't 'feel' you telepathically because you were sedated. She could always tell where you were be seeking you out." 

Ebony nodded, her guilt of her sister's death not leaving her. Looking to change the subject, she asked, "Can Ah take these glasses off? Ah don' lahke red." 

"Can you control your blasts?" Scott asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room. 

"Now Ah can," she said. She felt a brief pang of guilt at being able to control the same power he in turn was cursed with. He didn't have the option of taking off his glasses. Not unless he wanted to give the mansion a sunroof anyway. 

Jean, having sensed Scott's hesitation about Ebony's glasses coming off, intervened. "I think it would be best to keep the glasses on for now. Just as a precaution," she added. 

Ebony nodded. "Ah understand." She took a moment to study everyone in the room. She quickly became accustomed to the red haze and even began to tell the colors apart. The professor wasn't hard to pick out; he was the only one that was that low to the ground. Logan wasn't that hard to distinguish either, not with hair that messy. He was next to the professor at the end of the bed. She knew Jean was next to her; she could feel the telepath. Ororo's hair still stood out, even through the red haze. She stood near the door, behind Scott. She focused on Scott for a minute. She could almost see through his glasses, but not quite. She sympathized with him even more than she had before when she'd had her glasses on. Earlier, she'd known she'd be able to take the glasses off, but now she wasn't sure if they'd let her. 

Remy stood next to Hank. His long auburn hair was pulled back into it's usual ponytail. He also wore his sunglasses to hide his eyes. They had connected over their eyes. Tatiana hadn't had eyes like her sister. Remy had seemed to be comforted by the fact that he wasn't the only one with "freaky ass ahyes" as she called them. 

She sighed. She was tired. She usually was after she got a shot of the drugs she depended on. Hank recognized the sigh. 

"I think we should let her get some rest," he said, giving her a private smile. She responded in kind. 

Jean did a quick check of her vitals. Pleased that they had stabilized, she nodded. Remy gave Renee a quick kiss on the back of her hand. Hank squeezed her hand. Logan nodded at her. Ororo smiled, as did Jean. The professor gave her a quick telepathic reassurance. Scott remained stoic. 

::Thank you Beast,:: she said in Hank's mind. 

::No problem, as usual, Renee,:: he responded. She smiled at his statement and closed her eyes to try to get some much needed rest. 

To be continued.   



	10. Default Chapter Title

Part ten. I'm thinking of ending this soon, but continuing on with the character Ebony/Renee in different stories. Problem is just ending this series. Oh well. I'll think of something hopefully. 

The usual: I love feedback. Please let me know what you think of this either way. :) 

Enjoy. :) 

~`~`~`~ 

The next day, Remy decided he needed to check out this place. He'd been here for one night now, and it was time to see more than the med lab and the guest quarters he and Hank had shared last night. He had high hopes. He had been told that this was a school for mutants. And by judging by the looks of two of the teachers here, the women here were very nice looking. 

He made his way down the hall of the first level. They had a very nice entertainment system. Top of the line TV, VCR, and stereo with surround sound. It won' be too bad 'ere, he thought to himself with a small smile. An' a nice movie collection. Don' get much betta den dis. Le's check out de food. 

After a few attempts, he found the kitchen. He noticed the hole in the floor and wondered about it for a minute before dismissing it. Dis is huge!, he thought, taking in the large amount of counter and cupboard space. Remy like dis place! 

Finding the refrigerator to be more than satisfactory, he grabbed a Coke. It'd been too long since he'd had a Coke. He sighed after the first sip, then belched accordingly. Vedy nice, he thought with a sigh. 

"Was that you?" someone asked behind him. He turned to find dark-haired, dark eyed and very pretty girl. He gave her a charming smile. 

"Oui," he said. "Dat was me." 

"Dat?" she questioned. "Where you from? By the way, I'm Jubilee," she said, extending a hand. 

"Nawrlins. I'm Remy," he said as he kissed the back of her hand. He smiled as he saw a small blush creep onto her face. 

"Nawrlins?" she asked, frowning. "Oh, you mean New Orleans. When did you get here?" 

"Few hours ago," he said, taking another drink of his Coke. 

"So that was you that burped so loud?" she asked, returning to her original question. 

"Oui," he said again. 

"Very nice," she said with a smile. "Bet I can burp better then you." 

"Oh really Chere?" he asked with a small smile. "Remy don' t'ink so." 

She paused for a second, not realizing he was speaking in third person. She quickly figured it out. "I think so," she said. "I can beat Wolvie, so I can beat you." 

"Wolvie?" 

"Wolverine," she said. "Also known as Logan. He's probly my best bud here." 

"So dis Wolvie is a good burper, non?" he asked as he walked back to the fridge to get her a Coke. 

"Used to be the best 'till he taught me how to burp right," she said with pride in her voice. "But we need judges for this. Otherwise there'll be no way to know who won." 

"Oui," he agreed. 

"I know just the people," she said. "Follow me." He complied with her command and followed her back to the rec room. Dey musta gotten 'ere after I left, Remy thought. "Hey guys, we need someone to judge our burping contest. You up for it?" 

Three heads turned. Remy stared at one of them. I was right!, he thought. He absent-mindedly shook hands with someone Jubilee called Bobby, and politely kissed the back of the other girl's, Kitty, hand. When he was introduced to Rogue, he thought he was looking at an angel. He kissed her hand longer then he had Kitty's and Jubilee's, making her blush. He smiled his most charming smile at her and was already thinking of ways to make her his. When he finally made himself look at something other than her beautiful brown eyes, he noticed she had a white streak in the front of her otherwise dark brown elbow-length hair framing a flawless face with soft pink lips. To him, she was beyond beautiful. She was gorgeous. 

"Ahem." 

He finally tore his gaze from the lovely Rogue to see Jubilee and Kitty grinning at Rogue, who was blushing furiously. Bobby was glaring at him. Me t'inks Bobby likes Chere, he thought. Too bad for him, heh? Chere gonna be mine. 

"So do you guys want to judge our burping contest?" Jubilee asked again. 

"Sure!" Kitty said. She looked to Bobby, who was still glaring at Remy. She nudged him in the ribs. 

"Uh, yeah, sure," Bobby said, rubbing his side. 

"Sure, sugah," Rogue said, not looking at Remy who was still staring at her. 

"Dat's dat den," Remy said. "After you Chere," motioning for the ladies to go ahead of him. He turned to look back at Bobby as he walked out and could almost see the smoke coming from the blonde's head. Remy smiled to himself. Less den a day 'ere an' I got enemies, he thought. Typical me. 

~`~`~`~ 

They never got to figure out who one the contest, though. Logan had been strolling through the mansion, still looking for changes since his return a few days ago when his overly sensitive hearing heard what he knew was Jubilee belch rather loudly. That was followed by another belch, from whom, Logan didn't know. What he did know was that he wasn't in the mood to listen to such nonsense. Once again regretting he'd ever taught Jubilee to burp like himself, he headed to the kitchen. 

"Woah, Chere, show Gambit how ta do that!" he heard as he walked into the kitchen. 

"Jubilation," Logan said. 

Jubilee cringed at his use of her full name, but as unable to stop the burp in her throat. She tried to keep it quiet, but didn't succeed. With a sheepish smile she turned to face her Wolvie. 

"Hey Wolvie," she said quietly. 

"If yer gonna make that much noise, go outside or sumthin'," he said. "Ebony's tryin' to sleep." 

"Ebony?" Remy asked. 

"Er, Renee," Logan said. 

"Oh, Chere need's rest, non?" he asked. "Gambit shoulda 'membered dat." He paused for a minute. "Rematch some ot'er time, Chere?" 

"Uh, sure," Jubilee said. "Whenever." 

"Rogue, care ta join Remy on a walk ta see de place?" Remy asked as he held a hand out for her to accept. After a slight hesitation, she took his hand. Remy smiled at her and let her show him the way out into the backyard. As he walked by Bobby, he grinned so as to say that he had his eye on Rogue and wouldn't give up until she was his girl. 

Logan gave a small smile at the jealousy he could smell from Bobby. Kid's got competition, he thought. It'll be good fer 'im. 

~`~`~`~ 

Hank sat next to Renee as she slept the morning after he'd given her the drug. He knew he'd given her the drug just in time. Another few hours and her heart rate would have been way too fast and killed her. He knew he should be helping Miss Grey with finding a "cure" for the girl he looked at as a daughter, but he felt he had to be near her. Sometimes he had to remind himself that she was only a few years old. His mood darkened as he thought of how the scientists that had created her and Tatiana had advanced their development and minds. Not only did they have the bodies of eighteen-year-old women, but also they had the maturity level of a middle-aged adult and the minds of off-the-scale geniuses. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when he heard Renee whimper in her sleep. He looked to see her dark brows pulled together in a frown and she lightly kicked one of her legs. Knowing the signs all to well, he woke her up. Though he couldn't tell that she had her eyes open because of her glasses, he knew she was awake because of her sigh. 

"Ah saw Tatia hangin' in 'er room," she said quietly. "Sometahmes, Ah hate bein' able ta remember everythin' even if it ain't mah memory." 

"I'm sorry my dear Renee," Hank said. "Such are the hardships of a telepath." 

"Ah know," she said with another sigh. "Ah wish Ah'd been able ta stop 'er." 

"Me too," he said. "Me too." 

"Knock, knock," someone said. Ebony turned her head to see Bobby standing in the doorway. "Mind if I come in?" 

"Not at all, Bobby" Ebony said with a small smile. "After all, Ah do have ya ta thank for getting' Beast 'ere ta save me." 

"Beast?" Bobby asked as he walked up to Hank. 

"That's what Renee calls me," Hank said. "My real name is Hank. It's nice to meet you Bobby." 

"Likewise," Bobby said as he shook Hank's huge hand. Hank's huge size, furriness, and blueness didn't bother him this time. 

"I'll leave you two alone," Hank said. Before he left, he bent down and quickly kissed Ebony's forehead. "It's real good to see you again, Renee." 

"You too Beast." 

With a nod to Bobby, Hank left to go help Jean. 

"Thank ya fer getting' 'im," she said. 

"No problem," Bobby said with a smile. 

"What happened ta yer arm?" she asked, nodding to his bandage. 

Unconsciously, Bobby fingered the dressing. "Got shot in the arm. Bullet went all the way through. I'll be fine. And to think it was for that stupid Cajun." 

Ebony smiled at his last statement. "'Stupid Cajun'?" she repeated. "What's Remy up ta now?" 

"Nothing much, just making moves on Rogue," he muttered. 

"An' ya lahke 'er raht?" Ebony said with a small smile. 

"Am I that obvious?" Bobby asked with a smile. 

"Only ta those who're observant," she said. "She's very pretty though. Seems nahce." 

"She's very nice," Bobby said. He went on to list all the qualities he loved in Rogue. When he was done and had realized that he'd been babbling like a love-struck fool (which he thought he was), he blushed and looked away from Ebony. 

"Man," she said, "ya've got it bad!" 

Bobby laughed. "I guess I do." 

"Ya 'guess' ya do? Honey, ya've got it BAD." Ebony laughed when his blush deepened. 

Hastily trying to get the subject off of his obvious crush on Rogue he said, "So, uh, how long do you have to stay in this bed?" 

When she got control of herself she answered, "Ah dunno. Beast didn' say anythin' about it." 

"Well, you look healthy to me, so how about a proper tour of the mansion?" Bobby offered. "I don't think you've had the 'Bobby Drake Absolutely Free, That's Right, No Charge, Tour of the Charles Xavior School for Gifted Youngsters." 

Ebony chuckled. "No, Ah don' think Ah did. Lemme ask." 

::Beast?:: 

::Yes, Renee?:: 

::Can Ah get outta bed now?:: 

She could tell Beast was thinking. ::For a few hours, then it's back to bed. Stay inside the mansion. And I'm serious, Renee.:: 

She giggled mentally. ::Of course, Beast.:: 

::I mean it.:: 

::Ah know.:: 

To Bobby she said, "Fer a few hours and Ah cain't go outside." Bobby looked at her strangely. Ebony realized he didn't know all of her powers yet. She smiled at him. "Ah'm telepathic too." 

"I better be careful to keep my thoughts to myself then, huh?" he asked with a smile. 

"Exactly. Now leave so Ah c'n get dressed." 

"But where's the fun in that?" 

She moved her hand to her glasses, knowing full well he remembered what happened the last time she took off her glasses. 

"Okay, okay, I'm going," he said with a smile. "I'll be waiting outside." 

She nodded. She had noticed earlier that someone had brought her backpack down. After a few minutes' thoughts, she decided against wearing gloves, though she knew she probably should. She just didn't feel like it. She picked out a pair of her extra-flare legged jeans, her white platform tennis shoes, her dark blue Fenix TX spaghetti-string tank top (she wasn't going to be leaving the mansion after all), and her silver choker. She'd quickly learned how to steal without being caught (she hadn't lived with Remy for a few weeks without picking up a few tips) and had had fun at the mall when she had enough money to indulge herself. Rave and Hot Topics quickly became her favorite stores. 

Pushing thoughts of her past from her head, she undid her hair from its braid and pulled into a pony tail, but didn't pull it all the way through with the last loop of the hair tie, leaving it half its usual length down her back. Deciding she was ready, she stepped out. She blushed a little at Bobby's stare. 

"Ya ready?" she asked, staring at her black fingernails. 

"Uh, yeah, this way," he said. His blue eyes did not leave her. 

~`~`~`~ 

"Ya mean ya can _make_ snow?" Ebony asked again. She couldn't believe that someone could actually _make_ snow by just concentrating. 

They were standing in front of the front door. He had been telling her about his powers when she'd stopped when she'd realized he could make snow. 

Bobby laughed. "Yes, I can make snow," he said. "See?" He held out his hand and sure enough, seconds later a small pile of snow started accumulating in the palm of his hand. 

Ebony had never seen snow before. Mostly because of a sheltered life, partly because it just didn't snow in New Orleans. She slowly reached out her hand to touch it, being careful not to touch Bobby's hand. She was amazed at the softness of it and how it melted almost instantly against her warm hand. She grabbed a bit of it and tasted it. She smiled at Bobby when she realized it tasted like cold water. 

Bobby was amazed that a person couldn't know what snow looked and tasted like. He'd come to love being able to make it able to have a snowball fight in 100-degree weather. If the pool in the backyard got too warm, he was the mutant to call. If a snow sculpture was needed for any reason, call Bobby. Hey, he wasn't called Iceman for nothing after all. 

Being the sometimes-funny-to-others and sometimes-evil thinking mutant he was, Bobby got the idea of throwing a snow ball at her to see her reaction. He smiled back at her and started adding more snow to his hand. 

She saw that the snow pile was growing and started to frown. She didn't have a good feeling about this. Testing the "thought airway" she saw Bobby's intentions. With a small smirk on her face, she decided to show him a thing or two. Just when before the snowball hit her, she telekinetically "caught" it and threw it in his face. The wide-eyed surprised look on his face was priceless and she burst into loud laughter. 

"I can't believe you just did that!" he exclaimed. He quickly made another snowball and threw it at her. She screamed at the cold. Gathering the snow that had fallen on the ground around them with her telekinesis, she made another snowball and threw it back at him. This routine continued until Logan came around the corner just as Ebony ducked and was nailed in the face with a snowball. 

Bobby stood stock-still horrified as to what the Canadian would do to him. Ebony laughed even louder. Logan popped his claws and started towards Bobby. He was stopped however when Ebony unsheathed her own claws. Bobby's mouth fell open behind her. Ebony could see the hint of laughter in Logan's eyes and knew that he wouldn't hurt her or Bobby. 

"Clean up yer mess, you two," he said as he sheathed his claws and walked past them up the stairs to his room. 

"Aiight Logan," she said as she also sheathed her claws and turned back to face Bobby. Seeing the look in his eyes, she sighed. 

"What else can you do?" he asked. "I mean, you've got Mr. Summers' power, telepathy, telekinesis, and now Logan's claws." 

She sighed again. She led him to the rec room and had him sit down. She sat next to him, not too close, but not too far away. She quickly named off her mutations and stared down at the ground when she was done. 

"Are your eyes the reason you wear something other your eyes all the time?" he asked. "And the gloves? To protect others?" 

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Ah'm lahke all superhero mutants combahned inta one huge mess." 

"You're not a big mess," he said as he moved closer to her. 

"Yer jokin' raht?" she said with a laugh. "Ah mean, Ah almost died last nahght. I'm only a few years old accordin' ta Hank. Ah put a hole in th' kitchen floor. There's a few othah things but Ah cain't 'member them. If that ain't a mess, what is?" 

"None of it's your fault though," he said. 

"Ah s'pose yer raht," she said. 

"I know I am," he said with a smile. She laughed and very gently punched him in the arm, making sure to hit his sleeve. Even when she tried not to hit him too hard, he grimaced slightly. "Damn, that metal hurts!" 

"That's th' point," she said with a small smile. 

"Wanna watch a movie?" 

"A movie?" she asked. 

"Don't tell me you've never watched a movie before!" Bobby exclaimed. 

"Then Ah won' tell ya," she said. 

"Okay," he said, trying to think this through. "We'll start with the best movie of all time: Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Then after that, we have to watch the second best movie ever: Real Genius. But first, we have to get all the movie essentials: popcorn, Coke, some chocolate stuff like Milk Duds and Butterfinger mini's. Please tell me you've had chocolate!" 

"Ah'm not that deprived!" she exclaimed with a giggle. 

"Thank heavens!" That earned him another "soft" punch to the arm. "Ow! Stop that woman!" 

"Woman?!" Ebony cried. With that they took off towards the kitchen, slightly slipping in the puddles still in the hall, to get the "movie essentials" laughing all the way. 

To be continued.... 


	11. Default Chapter Title

Part eleven. This is the last in this series. There's a better explanation at the end. It's been fun and thank you sooo much to everyone who read/reviewed this story. I really appreciate it.  
  
Enjoy. :)  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Dammit, she thought. Ah cain't sleep again. She sighed. She tried to roll her head to the side, but the glasses across her eyes dug into the side of her head. She was tired of seeing things through red. Carefully she raised them from her eyes, careful to not direct the beam at herself. Sighing in relief when a red beam didn't jump from behind the glasses glad to be freed its prison, she took the glasses off the rest of the way. Though it was dark, she could see things much better. She realized she was still in the private room in the med lab just in case the drug backlashed on her or something, though she knew it wouldn't.   
  
Realizing sleep wouldn't be in her company tonight she left the bed, not bothering to grab her robe. Her blue plaid pajama pants and Placebo tank top were enough for what she wanted to do. She quietly went up to the fist level of the vast mansion. She remembered the computer lab was by Xavior's office.   
  
When she got to the computer lab, she quietly turned one of the more advanced computers with a T3 connection. As she waited impatiently for it to boot up, she rubbed her arms. She wasn't cold, she never got cold, but her actions were more of a nervous habit. She wasn't sure where she'd picked it up, but those who knew her well recognized the sign well.   
  
After the computer was done booting up, she worked quietly for a few minutes, the only sounds were of the fast-paced keystrokes and the occasional click of the mouse.   
  
"Finally," she muttered to herself. "They must have finally bought better software and got a better firewall."  
  
After a few more clicks she had what she wanted. She sat back in her chair, overcome with emotion as she stared at the picture in front of her.  
  
Her sister's face stared back at her. She wasn't smiling; smiles had been rare where she came from. Her eyes, a brilliant shade of green, were intelligent and shone with fire that was her personality, yet were sad. Her hair was in front of her shoulders, continuing on where the picture ended.   
  
Ebony sighed. Then set about reading their profile of her dead sister. Nearly every comment said something to the affect of how much faster she was to pick up on things and to "connect the dots" in difficult situations than her sister. Tatiana had always been less work and less of a hassle than Renee. Tatiana hadn't needed the constant shots. Tatiana hadn't needed an extra day to solve a problem set before her. Tatiana hadn't needed a few extra seconds to shape shift. Tatiana hadn't taken so long to line up a shot.   
  
Ebony had long since come to terms with the fact that her sister was the better version of them. But despite that, they'd been best friends. They'd used each other's shoulders to cry on when the pain of experimentation was too much to bear mentally and physically. They'd talked about the outside world and how they imagined it'd be. And they'd both swooned over Remy when he'd been introduced to them. Tatiana had been mad at her sister when Remy had shown more interest in her because they understood what it was like to have "different" eyes.   
  
She couldn't take it anymore. Ebony slammed her hand to the table, popping her claws in anger and hurt. With a defeated sigh, she let the tears fall that had been clouding her vision. Her thin shoulders shook as the sobs came with the tears.   
  
"Warum? (Why?)" she whispered in German to herself. "Warum Tatia? Warum nicht ich? (Why not I?)"  
  
"Ebony?"  
  
She jumped, her claws coming close to destroying the computer tower. She turned to see Bobby standing in the doorway.  
  
"Ah didn' hear ya," she said, turning away from him and wiping away her tears.   
  
"Are you okay?" he asked. It was one of those moments where a man can see something is obviously wrong, but asks a stupid question like that anyway.  
  
"Ah'm fahne," she said. She turned to give a smile as if to prove her point. All she did however was show him that she was lying. He could see the tears glistening in her eyes due to the light from the monitor in front of her. He walked over to where she sat and grabbed a nearby chair to sit next to her. "Bobby, Ah said Ah was fahne!"  
  
"I don't believe you," he whispered.   
  
She stared at him with tear-stained eyes, and realized that she didn't have her glasses with her. She quickly looked away to hide her eyes from him, not wanting to scare him. She'd dealt with a lot of rejection in her short lifetime, but she couldn't take anymore. She especially couldn't take his rejection.  
  
He misinterpreted her actions. "Don't be mad at me," he said. "I know a beautiful woman in distress when I saw one."  
  
"Ah'm not mad at ya," she said quickly, still not looking at him. She sat silent for a minute, his words slowly making their way through her thick skull. "Beautiful?" she asked, turning to look at him.   
  
He smiled at her. "I was wondering how long it would take you," he said, teasing her lightly, hoping to get her to smile; it worked. She shook her head with a small breath of laughter, but smiled; she couldn't help it. "So you do smile. Good, I was beginning to wonder."  
  
"Ah smile," she muttered. "Ah did earlier when we were watchin' the movies."  
  
"Yeah, I noticed," he said. He turned to look at the monitor. "What're your reading?"  
  
She quickly glanced at the screen; she'd forgotten to close the window when he startled her. She looked down quickly. "Nuthin'," she said.  
  
He became suspicious. "Nothing? It's obviously something if you were crying."  
  
Not wanting to lie to him, she gave in with a sigh. "Ah hacked inta the file system ov th' place that created me. Ah did it so Ah could read mah sistah's file and see her face again."  
  
"So not only are you a mutant, but a hacker?" he asked with a smile. "When you go for an outsider, you do all the way don't you?"  
  
She chuckled. "Ah guess."  
  
"So what did she look like?"  
  
Ebony scrolled up on the page to show him the picture of Tatiana. He whistled quietly. "Not as pretty as you though," he said.  
  
She looked at him, startled. "She 'as always prettier 'en me!" she exclaimed. "She looked normal. She didn' have th' freaky ass ahyes, and permanently black fingernails. She could fit in."  
  
"Maybe," Bobby said. "But I love your eyes. They're so expressive and mysterious. I can never tell what you're looking at."  
  
"Ah'll tell ya a secret," she said, leaning in closer to him. He leaned closer to her to hear her better. ::Just watch mah ahyelids.:: she said telepathically. To prove her point, she leaned back and looked up, down, and side to side.  
  
"Oh, I get it," he said. "Cool. I'd have fun freaking people out if I had eyes like yours."  
  
"It gets old aftah awhile," she said with a smile. He laughed.  
  
"What are you two doing?"  
  
They turned to see Scott standing in the door. Ebony cringed internally knowing he'd get mad at her for not wearing her glasses.  
  
"Ah couldn' sleep, so Ah came down 'ere ta do some readin'," she said.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Bobby said.  
  
Scott nodded, not quite believing them. "Where're your glasses, Ebony?"  
  
"In th' med lab," she said. "Ah tested mah ahyes 'fore Ah took 'em off," she said quickly.  
  
Scott raised a brow at her, but decided to leave them alone and went upstairs to where Jean was sleeping in their room.  
  
Both teenagers released the breath they hadn't known they were holding.  
  
"Ah think Ah betta go ta bed 'fore Ah get in trouble," Ebony said, closing out of the company's program. "Ah'm surprised Scott didn' get mad at me fer not wearin' mah glasses."  
  
"I'm surprised he didn't raise hell at both of us," Bobby said, putting his chair back where he'd found it. "Oh, and Ebony?" he asked as she walked out of the room to go down to the basement.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked as she stopped and turned to face him.  
  
"Who or what is 'Placebo'?" he asked, pointing to her shirt.  
  
She looked to where he was pointing. She chuckled lightly, which turned to a yawn. "E'vah heard th' song 'A friend in need's a friend in deed, a friend with weed is betta'?" she said.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"That's them."  
  
"Oh, okay. What about Fenix TX?  
  
"They sing th' song 'All Mah Fault'."  
  
"Oh, I remember that song. That was in that MTV movie. Anyway, good night. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Nacht (Night). See ya," she said.  
  
~`~`~`~  
  
Well, that's the end for this story. Lame ending, I know, but I can't think of any other way to end this (don't kill me :)). Ebony/Renee got the drug she needed, there were romance hints (okay maybe more than hints ;)), and everyone's happy and alive. Like I said, I'll be adding to this with other stories. I've got one in the works, but I've got a long way to go on that one. I hope you enjoyed this! :)  
  
CKWan 


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